Molecular drivers and cells of origin in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The two major histological subtypes of pancreatic cancer are pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), accounting for 90% of all cases, and pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasm (PanNEN), which makes up 3–5% of all cases. PanNEN is classified into well-differentiated pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor and poorly-differentiated pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma (PanNEC). Although PDAC and PanNEN are commonly thought to be different diseases with distinct biology, cell of origin, and genomic abnormalities, the idea that PDAC and PanNEC share common cells of origin has been gaining support. This is substantiated by evidence that the molecular profiling of PanNEC is genetically and phenotypically related to PDAC. In the current review, we summarize published studies pointing to common potential cells of origin and speculate about how the distinct paths of differentiation are determined by the genomic patterns of each disease. We also discuss the overlap between PDAC and PanNEC, which has been noted in clinical observations.