Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41392017›Full record

Observational studyThe journal of pathology. Clinical research2026

Systemic and local decorin levels mirror the clinical course of pancreatic cancer.

Maja Svensson, Sophie Lehn, Hedda Jacobsen, Sofie Olsson Hau, Göran Jönsson, Kristian Pietras, Karin Jirström

Abstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in The journal of pathology. Clinical research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Maja SvenssonDivision of Oncology and Therapeutic Pathology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0002-1279-6187
Sophie LehnDivision of Translational Cancer Research, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Hedda JacobsenDivision of Oncology and Therapeutic Pathology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.ORCID 0009-0003-7995-7154
Sofie Olsson HauDivision of Oncology and Therapeutic Pathology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0002-1702-9884
Göran JönssonDivision of Oncology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Kristian PietrasDivision of Translational Cancer Research, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0001-6738-4705
Karin JirströmDivision of Oncology and Therapeutic Pathology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0003-2257-5000

Funding

Cancerfonden 21 1596 PjCancerfonden CAN 2018/418Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Governmental Funding of Clinical Research (ALF)Fru Berta Kamprads StiftelseIngrid och Sverker Perssons StiftelseLennart Glans StiftelseSjöbergstiftelsenSkåne University Hospital Donations and FundsVetenskapsrådet 2015-03598Vetenskapsrådet 2018-02441
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Despite significant progress in oncology research, pancreatic cancer remains inherently difficult to treat, and the mechanisms underlying therapeutic resistance remain unresolved. Decorin (DCN), a member of the family of small leucine-rich proteoglycans, has emerged as a versatile actor in various malignant diseases. The aim of this study was to further explore the potential clinical significance of DCN in pancreatic cancer, both regarding its dynamics in serum during chemotherapy and its compartmental and cellular distribution in tumour tissue. To this end, repeated on-treatment levels of soluble DCN were measured using proximity extension assay in 124 patients enrolled in a prospective, observational clinical study, inviting patients diagnosed with pancreatic or other pancreatobiliary-type periampullary adenocarcinoma eligible for adjuvant (n = 30) or first-line palliative (n = 94) chemotherapy. Multiplexed immunofluorescence was applied to map DCN and the associated immune landscape in resected tumours. The results showed increasing levels of DCN in serum after initiation of chemotherapy in palliative, but not in adjuvant, patients. A higher rate of change of serum DCN was an independent adverse prognostic factor in both treatment settings. There was no significant association between systemic levels and local DCN expression. Varying expression of DCN was denoted in both tumour cells, immune cells and stroma, but the prognostic significance was mainly assigned to its expression in B cells. In particular, a higher percentage of DCN positive B cells, overall and in interaction with tumour cells, were independent predictors of shorter survival. In summary, this study is the first to demonstrate the potential clinical utility of on-treatment monitoring of systemic DCN in patients with pancreatic cancer. The findings also provide interesting leads for further research into how DCN may interact with the immune microenvironment to promote tumour development and the emergence of chemoresistance.

Indexed as

AdenocarcinomaBiomarkers, TumorDecorinPancreatic NeoplasmsAdultAgedAged, 80 and overChemotherapy, AdjuvantFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPalliative CareProspective StudiesTumor MicroenvironmentBiomarkers, TumorDCN protein, humanDecorinB cellschemotherapy prognosisdecorinmacrophagespancreatic cancerserumT cells

Identifiers

PMID41392017
PMCPMC12702688

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.