Just a year ago, Hien Dang, PhD, and Elda Grabocka, PhD, sketched out their ambitious vision on a notepad. Since then, that vision has rapidly evolved into a research initiative spanning four countries and three continents. The Consortium for MASLDassociated PDAC (COMPaC) now connects researchers from the United States, Thailand, Germany, and Albania in a unified mission to understand how metabolic liver disease influences pancreatic cancer development and progression.
The project is addressing a critical gap in cancer research: the connection between Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD, formerly known as fatty liver disease) and Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC). “The liver is such a central organ,” Dr. Dang explains. “When you have fatty liver disease, your whole system changes. There’s increased inflammation, toxic lipid accumulation, and damage that spreads throughout the body, particularly affecting the pancreas.”
As fatty liver develops and the liver grows to nearly twice its normal size, there is a parallel growth in the fat surrounding the pancreas, researchers noticed. “This visceral fat expansion appears uniquely tied to liver changes, suggesting a direct biological connection that could influence pancreatic cancer risk and progression,” Dr. Grabocka says.
The researchers emphasize that COMPaC’s international scope reflects a strategic decision. Different populations experience MASLD through varied pathways. Although 60% of U.S. cases are obesity related, many Asian patients develop “lean MASLD” without obesity. Germany presents yet another disease profile.
“By studying these diverse populations, we can identify which biological mechanisms are universal versus population-specific, strengthening the global applicability of the findings,” Dr. Dang notes.
The consortium has adopted a comprehensive approach, bringing together epidemiologists, statisticians, endocrinologists, bioinformaticians, liver and pancreatic cancer specialists, and pathologists.
Their three-pronged strategy includes analyzing patient health records to establish epidemiological relationships between MASLD and pancreatic cancer outcomes; building an extensive biorepository collecting blood, tumor samples, metastatic lesions and visceral fat tissues; and developing controlled mouse models to test how different types of fatty liver disease influence cancer progression and treatment response.
Building on Jefferson’s Molecular Profiling of Pancreatic Cancer (JMP PaC) biobank, the team is creating a standardized research infrastructure across all participating countries. This includes sites in Bangkok and southern Thailand, German research centers, and Albanian institutions. Beyond immediate research goals, this infrastructure development promises lasting benefits for local research communities and training opportunities for the next generation of international physician-scientists.
In just one year, COMPaC has secured initial funding from the American Cancer Society, TC Gives, the W. Kim Foster Family Charitable Fund, and a Fulbright Award, with larger grant applications pending. The ultimate vision extends beyond identifying disease mechanisms. Indeed, the team aims to develop screening protocols for at-risk populations and identify molecular targets for new therapeutic interventions.
“The consortium demonstrates how international collaboration – built on genuine scientific curiosity and shared expertise – can tackle complex medical challenges that no single institution could address alone,” Dr. Grabocka concludes.
Recommended Citation
(2025)
"International Collaboration Explores Pancreatic Cancer, Metabolic Disease Connection,"
Jefferson Surgical Solutions: Vol. 21:
Iss.
1, Article 5.
Available at:
https://jdc.jefferson.edu/jss/vol21/iss1/5
On November 8, Drs. Hien Dang (left) and Elda Grabocka participated in the 20th Annual Pancreatic Cancer & Related Diseases Patient Symposium hosted by Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center.