New Blood Markers Found for Early Pancreatic Cancer

Researchers develop a blood test to detect one of the deadliest forms of cancer at an earlier, more treatable stage.

Jan. 30, 2026 at 7:23pm

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National Institutes of Health (NIH)-supported investigators have developed a blood test that can detect pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, one of the deadliest forms of cancer, at an earlier stage when treatment is more likely to be effective. The test combines four biomarker proteins, including two novel ones, and was able to identify 87.5% of early-stage pancreatic cancer cases with a low false positive rate.

Why it matters

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most deadly forms of cancer, with only about 1 in 10 patients surviving more than five years from diagnosis. Finding the cancer early is key to improving survival, but there are currently no effective screening methods. This new blood test could help change that and lead to earlier detection and treatment.

The details

The researchers used a phased approach to test a panel of four biomarker proteins in blood samples. Two of the markers, carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) and thrombospondin 2 (THBS2), had been previously explored but did not work well as screening tools on their own. The team then identified two novel biomarker proteins, aminopeptidase N (ANPEP) and polymeric immunoglobin receptor (PIGR), that were elevated in early-stage pancreatic cancer patients compared to healthy individuals. When all four markers were combined, the test was able to identify 87.5% of early-stage pancreatic cancer cases with a false positive rate of only 5%.

  • The findings were published in Clinical Cancer Research in January 2026.

The players

Kenneth Zaret

The lead investigator of the study and a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine.

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

The government agency that provided funding support for the research.

University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine

The institution where the lead researcher is based and where part of the study was conducted.

Mayo Clinic

The institution where part of the study was conducted, in Rochester, Minnesota.

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What they’re saying

“By adding ANPEP and PIGR to the existing markers, we've significantly improved our ability to detect this cancer when it's most treatable.”

— Kenneth Zaret, Lead Investigator (Clinical Cancer Research)

What’s next

The researchers say the retrospective study findings warrant further testing in larger populations, particularly in people before they show symptoms, to determine if the test could be used as a screening tool for people at high risk of developing pancreatic cancer.

The takeaway

This new blood test represents a significant advancement in the early detection of one of the deadliest forms of cancer. If validated in larger studies, it could lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment, potentially improving survival rates for pancreatic cancer patients.