The mouse model titled Pdx-Cre transgenic mouse, is part of the first accurate pancreatic cancer mouse model ever developed. The mouse, when mated with a KrasGD12 mouse, produces offspring that reliably exhibit pancreatic cancer and pancreatic cancer precursors.
The potential applications of this mouse model are tremendous. This model is invaluable in developing new drugs to treat pancreatic cancer, as well as methods for early diagnosis of this disease because presently pancreatic cancer is very hard to detect before it is irreversibly terminal. A reliable detection method is much needed for this deadly disease because it has one of the highest mortality rates of all cancers. A mouse model that can help develop new treatment and detection methods fills an important void in the cancer research arsenal. In addition there are currently very few FDA approved drugs to treat pancreatic cancer underscoring the need for this type of research tool.