Zhou QQ, Ren YM, Shi SM, Liu TF. Microenvironmental code of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: The prognostic symphony of budding, matrix and lymphocytes. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2025; 17(10): 110523 [PMID: 41114109 DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.v17.i10.110523]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Teng-Fei Liu, PhD, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 241 Huaihai West Road, Shanghai 200030, China. liutfei@alumni.sjtu.edu.cn
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Oncology
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Editorial
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This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Oct 15, 2025 (publication date) through Oct 26, 2025
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Publication Name
World Journal of Gastrointestinal Oncology
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1948-5204
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Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA
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Zhou QQ, Ren YM, Shi SM, Liu TF. Microenvironmental code of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: The prognostic symphony of budding, matrix and lymphocytes. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2025; 17(10): 110523 [PMID: 41114109 DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.v17.i10.110523]
World J Gastrointest Oncol. Oct 15, 2025; 17(10): 110523 Published online Oct 15, 2025. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v17.i10.110523
Microenvironmental code of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: The prognostic symphony of budding, matrix and lymphocytes
Qing-Qing Zhou, Yi-Meng Ren, Su-Ming Shi, Teng-Fei Liu
Qing-Qing Zhou, Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
Yi-Meng Ren, Endoscopy Center and Endoscopy Research Institute, Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center of Endoscopy, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
Su-Ming Shi, ENT Institute, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
Teng-Fei Liu, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200030, China
Co-first authors: Qing-Qing Zhou and Yi-Meng Ren.
Co-corresponding authors: Su-Ming Shi and Teng-Fei Liu.
Author contributions: Zhou QQ and Ren YM contributed to the conception and design of the study, acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation of data, and drafting the article, they contributed equally to this manuscript and are co-first authors; Shi SM and Liu TF equally contributed to conceiving and drafting the initial article, and Shi SM and Liu TF were responsible for the critical revision and final approval of the manuscript and are co-corresponding authors.
Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 82404058; Shanghai Municipal Commission of Health and Family Planning, No. 2024ZZ2049; and Beijing Xisike Clinical Oncology Research Foundation, No. Y-HS202401-0011.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Teng-Fei Liu, PhD, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 241 Huaihai West Road, Shanghai 200030, China. liutfei@alumni.sjtu.edu.cn
Received: June 12, 2025 Revised: July 18, 2025 Accepted: August 18, 2025 Published online: October 15, 2025 Processing time: 128 Days and 5.1 Hours
Abstract
This editorial discusses Alpsoy et al’s significant study of prognosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), which lacks histopathological markers. This study evaluated the synergistic prognolymphocytes. Peritumoral budding is significantly correlated with tumor volume, while intratumoral budding is closely related to lymph node metastasis. Peritumoral budding and intratumoral budding are confirmed as independent adverse prognostic factors, and their high levels of expression are associated with immature stromal phenotypes, suggesting the key role of epithelial-mesenchymal transition. These breakthrough findings provide a new multidimensional biomarker system for the prognostic assessment of PDAC, and promote the clinical transformation process of incorporating tumor budding indicators into the pathological reporting process. However, the complexity and spatiotemporal heterogeneity of the tumor microenvironment require us to go beyond traditional morphological analysis and move towards multiomics integration and dynamic monitoring. Through standardized pathological assessment, innovative treatment strategies and interdisciplinary collaboration, it is expected to transform tumor microenvironment-related markers into clinically applicable indicators, ultimately improving the treatment predicament of PDAC. This editorial intended to summarize relevant studies and share some of our views, in order to offer perspectives for future research.
Core Tip: This editorial discusses recent research article published by Alpsoy et al, focusing on the synergistic prognostic value of tumor budding, fibroblast response, and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. The article reviewed herein cover topics, and provide some insights for application of tumor microenvironment markers in clinical practices.
