Written by Federico Citterich
Conceived and reviewed by Alessandro Rossetta
Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most lethal malignancies, with a five-year survival rate lingering below 10%. This dismal prognosis is largely attributed to the disease’s asymptomatic nature in early stages and the absence of effective early detection methods. Recognizing this critical gap, the LaserBlood project emerges as a beacon of hope, aiming to revolutionize pancreatic cancer diagnosis through innovative biophotonic technologies. Here, we summarize our three-part series on pancreatic cancer and the urgent need for an early detection method. Find the three articles here:
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Pancreatic Cancer: An Invisible Killer (1/3)
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Pancreatic Cancer: Why Are Early Detection Methods Still Absent in 2025? (2/3)
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Pancreatic Cancer: How is LaserBlood Tackling the Critical Need for Early Detection? (3/3)
Pancreatic cancer is among the deadliest and most aggressive forms of cancer. Caused by smoking, diet, and alcohol consumption, as well as by non-modifiable factors such as age and genetic components, only about 10 over 100 patients diagnosed with the disease will survive five years after the diagnosis.
However, when the tumor is detected in its earliest stages – when still localized and before it has spread – the chances of survival improve significantly: nearly half of patients survive beyond five years.
But diagnosing pancreatic cancer early is complicated. Its symptoms – including back pain, nausea, bloating, and abdominal fullness – are vague, nonspecific, and often delayed. Moreover, unlike other forms of cancer, there is no routine screening test for pancreatic cancer in asymptomatic adults.
CTs and MRIs, in fact, are unable to identify pancreatic cancer when it’s only a few millimeters large, mainly due to the fact that the pancreas is located deep inside the abdomen.
To overcome this problem and provide more accurate measurements, physicians can use endoscopic ultrasound. However, this procedure is highly invasive, requires sedation, and is highly expensive, making it not sustainable for conducting mass screenings of at-risk populations.
Similarly, current blood-based biomarkers – although emerging as a promising approach for the early detection of pancreatic cancer – are not specific enough, being also found in other conditions and hence potentially leading to false positives.
Recently, however, researchers drew their attention on the “protein corona”, a layer of proteins and other molecules that forms around nanoparticles when they come into contact with blood and other biological fluids.
Importantly, the composition of the protein corona is disease-specific, making it a potential tool for identifying particular types of cancer.
The LaserBlood project, funded by the European Union’s EIC Pathfinder program, aims to overcome major challenges in using protein corona characterization for early pancreatic cancer detection.
Traditionally, two key obstacles have blocked progress: the difficulty of identifying early-stage disease and the complexity and variability of analyzing the protein corona. To tackle the first issue, LaserBlood collaborates with the Istituto Nazionale Tumori Regina Elena (IFO-IRE), which has developed a specialized mouse model that closely mimics human pancreatic cancer progression. These mice develop tumors predictably, allowing researchers to study the earliest disease stages by analyzing precancerous lesions and associated protein corona changes.
Addressing the second challenge, LaserBlood is moving away from traditional, slow, and inconsistent protein isolation techniques. Instead, the team uses an innovative light-based approach: when nanoparticles with attached protein coronas are struck by a laser, they emit a unique glow or “fingerprint” that reflects their composition. This method offers a faster, more reliable way to detect cancer-specific changes in the blood without needing to painstakingly isolate individual proteins.
Although still in its early phases, LaserBlood’s integrated use of nanotechnology, biophotonics, and biological research holds great promise. The ultimate goal is to create a quick, accurate, and minimally invasive blood test for early pancreatic cancer screening, potentially transforming patient outcomes by enabling earlier diagnosis and more effective treatment.