pH and Stromal Cells’ Impact on Metabolic Functions of Pancreatic Cancer

Overview

Stromal cells have been a key influencer in differentiating pancreatic cancer from the diversity of other forms of cancer. The involvement and significance of stromal cells are not quite solidified in understanding, but the tight spheroid formed upon their arrival to the tumor indicates a defense mechanism signaled by stromal cells. The stromal cell consists of dense collagen, adipocytes, and fibroblasts which lines the tumor and creates an indestructible barrier between the natural killer cells and the immune system from invading the exponentially- unregulated cell growth in the tumor. Two objectives were studied within the importance of the stromal cell. First, the uncontrolled cellular division of the tumor needs to be slowed down and regulated; thus, I evaluated the impact the pH had on the metabolic rates and the viability of the cancer cells. As the pH lowered, lower metabolic functions and viability rates occurred, leading to encouraging data for future medications, assuming the treatments become more refined and become specified to the targeting tumor. Secondly, the stromal cells need to be killed or disrupted in order to penetrate the connective tissue and began to diminish the tumor growth. The stromal cell seems to have an intercellular communication between other stromal cells and a communication with the cancer cells. I sought to inhibit the early stages of communication between the stromal cells and cancer cells, which allowed the natural “killer” cells and an immune response to form. The objective of this research is to inhibit the stages of early tumor development which would lead to the exposure of a susceptible tumor for treatment and less- efficient, uncontrollable cellular division.