Single cell transcriptomic analyses implicate an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment in pancreatic cancer liver metastasis

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains one of the most aggressive and lethal malignant tumors all over the world, with a 5-year survival rate of less than 10%. Usually diagnosed at an advanced stage, PDAC is highly resistant to current therapies, partly due to an extremely high rate of distant metastasis (>80%) at first diagnosis. The liver is the most frequent site of distant metastases for PDAC. Current therapeutic options for PDAC patients with liver metastasis are extremely limited. Thus, understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying hepatic metastasis of PDAC is urgently needed to help us develop more effective treatments and improve survival for these patients with advanced disease.