The emerging role of the TGFβ tumor suppressor pathway in pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is one of the most aggressive human cancers. It displays many different chromosomal abnormalities and mutations. To design new therapeutic strategies, it is important to identify the signaling pathways and gene networks within this apparent complexity that are predominantly altered. The TGFβ signaling pathway and associated transcription network emerges as a central actor of pancreatic oncogenesis. Its tumor suppressor function in this tissue can be affected by several alterations.