Genomic instability, DNA damage response and telomere homeostasis in pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is becoming one of the most serious health problems at present, but its causes and risk factors are still unclear. One of the drivers in pancreatic carcinogenesis is altered genomic (DNA) integrity with subsequent genomic instability in cancer cells. The latter comprises a) DNA damage response and DNA repair mechanisms, b) DNA replication and mitosis, c) epigenetic regulation, and d) telomere maintenance. In our review we addressed the above aspects in relation to the most abundant and severe form of PC, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). In summary, the interactions between the DNA damage response, telomere homeostasis and mitotic regulation are not comprehensively understood at present, including the epigenetic factors entering the trait of genomic stability maintenance. In addition, the complexity of telomere homeostasis in relation to PDAC risk, prognosis and prediction also warrants further investigations.