DeCure for Undifferentiated Pancreatic Carcinoma with Osteoclast-Like Giant Cells
DeCure's autonomous Cancer AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for Undifferentiated Pancreatic Carcinoma with Osteoclast-Like Giant Cells — screening already-approved drugs against its 15-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease moduleUndifferentiated Pancreatic Carcinoma with Osteoclast-Like Giant Cells maps to a 15-gene Open Targets module — the target space DeCure's AI scientist screens approved drugs against.
DeCure.ai methodSignature reversal (LINCS) plus network proximity (STRING) rank already-approved drugs likely to perturb this module — the same engine that produces DeCure.ai's repurposing hypotheses.
Repurposing thesisScreening approved medicines against this disease module, then publishing the evidence for the strongest candidate. Known pharmacology and human exposure data make the first question sharper — they do not establish safety or efficacy in a new indication.
Research record
01
ResearchComing soon
Candidate research + dossier — target rationale, drug-repurposing thesis and evidence pack.proof: Published dossier + on-chain hash
02
ValidationComing soon
In-vitro biological validation at a contract research org (CRO).proof: CRO contract + in-vitro report
03
Peer review & paperComing soon
Peer-reviewed paper published open-access (preprint + journal).proof: DOI + open-access link + on-chain hash
Current lead
No approved-drug candidate for undifferentiated pancreatic carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells is corroborated in the literature DeepSearch retrieved. Some conditions are managed with non-pharmacological care — a device, surgery or physical therapy — rather than a medicine; that may be the case here, or the literature we found may simply be too sparse yet to support a drug-repurposing angle.
Molecular view
isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP(+)) 2 (IDH2) — IDH2 is one of the genes genetically linked to this disease in Open Targets — shown as context, not as a drug target we're pursuing: no approved-drug candidate for this disease is yet corroborated in the literature we found.
Loading structure…
helix sheet ndpdrag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 5I96 · 1.55 Å · ligand NADPH DIHYDRO-NICOTINAMIDE-ADENINE-DINUCLEOTIDE PHOSPHATE (NDP). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
Undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells (UC-OGC) makes up roughly 1% of all pancreatic malignancies, according to a 2018 review, while a 2023 case series puts the broader category of undifferentiated pancreatic carcinoma at 2–7% of pancreatic carcinomas. A 2021 case report describes a 69-year-old man with a 13-cm periampullary mass whose biopsy of a neighbouring lymph node showed adenocarcinoma; after neoadjuvant chemoradiation and resection the tumour was consistent with UC-OGC. Next-generation sequencing of that tumour revealed genetic alterations similar to those seen in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, and the molecular tumour board identified potential therapeutic targets for subsequent therapy. The 2023 retrospective series of four patients diagnosed between 2015 and 2020 at a single Chinese hospital reports that chief complaints included upper abdominal pain and discomfort (2/4), nausea and vomiting (1/4), or no symptoms (1/4). Preoperative tumour markers were only mildly elevated in one patient each for carcinoembryonic antigen and CA19-9. Tumours were located in the tail of the pancreas in three patients and the head and neck in one. Metastasis was found in pancreatic adipose tissue in two patients and lymph node metastasis in one. Microscopy showed heterogeneous mononuclear cells and scattered osteoclast-like giant cells of various sizes. One patient had a concurrent mucinous cystic tumour, and two had pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Only one of the four patients received postoperative chemotherapy, which was gemcitabine combined with albumin-bound paclitaxel.
No survival data, response rates, or median follow-up are reported in any of these abstracts. The 2023 series explicitly states that treatment guidelines are lacking for pancreatic undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells and that prognosis varies markedly. The 2021 case report concludes that understanding a tumour’s genetic changes may improve treatment efficacy but offers no outcome data for the patient described. The 2018 review notes that most published cases have been in Asia but provides no pooled survival statistics.
What is still missing is any prospective trial, any comparative effectiveness data for chemotherapy regimens, and any consistent molecular stratification that could guide therapy. The 2023 authors call for more case reporting, long-term follow-up, and genetic mutation testing to clarify the tumour’s origin and improve treatment. Without funding for multi-centre registries or randomised studies, and without a standardised approach to patient stratification, the evidence base remains limited to single-case and small retrospective series that cannot support any treatment recommendation.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
Case Reports in Gastroenterology · 2016 · 18 citations · open access
Case of Six-Year Disease-Free Survival with Undifferentiated Carcinoma of the Pancreas
AbstractUndifferentiated carcinoma of the pancreas (UDC) is rare and has a dismal prognosis. Here, we report a case of 6-year disease-free survival with a mixed type of UDC and UDC with osteoclast-like giant cells, with a high mitotic index as well as perineural, lymphatic, vessel, and diaphragmatic invasion. The patient underwent radical distal pancreatectomy and was subsequently treated with adjuvant chemotherapy using gemcitabine plus S-1 followed by maintenance chemotherapy with oral tegafur-uracil. The patient has been doing well with no evidence of recurrence for more than 6 years after surgery.
Pathology & Oncology Research · 2023 · 4 citations · open access
Case report: Pathological and genetic features of pancreatic undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells
AbstractObjectives: Pancreatic undifferentiated carcinoma accounts for 2%–7% of pancreatic carcinomas. We aimed to investigate the pathological and genetic characteristics of pancreatic undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells and the key points of treatment. Methods: The clinical data and follow-up results of four patients diagnosed with pancreatic undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells between May 2015 and May 2020 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Chief complaints included “pain and discomfort in the upper abdomen” (2/4), “nausea and vomiting” (1/4) or no symptoms (1/4). Preoperative mildly elevated tumor markers included carcinoembryonic antigen (1/4) and CA19-9 (1/4). The tumors were located in the tail of the pancreas in three patients and the head and neck in one patient. Tumor metastasis was found in pancreatic adipose tissue in two patients and lymph node metastasis in one patient, with microscopic heterogeneous mononuclear cells and scattered osteoclast-like giant cells of various sizes. One patient (1/4) had a mucinous cystic tumor of the pancreas, and two patients (2/4) had adenocarcinoma of the pancreatic duct. Only one patient received postoperative gemcitabine combined with albumin-bound paclitaxel chemotherapy. Conclusion: Currently, treatment guidelines are lacking for PUC-OGC, and prognosis varies markedly. More cases must be reported to clarify its origination. The long-term follow-up of diagnosed patients and genetic mutation testing can also contribute to improving treatment and prognosis of this disease.
Journal of Pancreatic Cancer · 2021 · 3 citations · open access
Sequencing of an Undifferentiated Carcinoma with Osteoclast-Like Giant Cells of the Pancreas: A Case Report
AbstractBackground: Undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells/osteoclast-like giant cell reaction (UC-OGC) is a rare form of pancreatic cancer historically associated with a poor prognosis. Molecular tumor profiling provides new information about tumor origins and a more nuanced understanding of the potential efficacy of different chemotherapeutic agents. Presentation: A 69-year-old man presented with a 13-cm periampullary pancreatic mass. Biopsy of a neighboring lymph node was consistent with adenocarcinoma. After neoadjuvant chemoradiation, the patient underwent resection and the tumor was consistent with UC-OGC. Next-generation sequencing was performed with genomic and proteomic analyses analyzed by a molecular tumor board review. These analyses revealed genetic alterations similar to those seen in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, as well as potential therapeutic targets for the patient's subsequent therapy. Conclusions: Understanding a tumor's genetic changes allows for better understanding of its biology and may improve treatment efficacy. We believe that future study in tumor profiling will improve our understanding of rare cancers such as UC-OGC and also pave the way for the use of novel therapies to specifically target mutations in a broad range of more common tumors.
[Advances in diagnosis and treatment of undifferentiated pancreatic carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells].
AbstractUndifferentiated pancreatic carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cell(UOC) published to date, and most have been in Asia, is a rare occurrence making up 1% of all pancreatic malignancies.With the increasing number of reported cases of the disease, the degree of awareness of the disease also gradually deepened, but there are few summary articles for the clinical features, imaging features, pathological features, treatment programs, prognosis and other aspects of UOC.Hence, this article is going to introduce pathological features, clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment of adjuvant advances of UOC in detail.
Image3_Case report: Pathological and genetic features of pancreatic undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells.TIF
Abstract<p>Objectives: Pancreatic undifferentiated carcinoma accounts for 2%–7% of pancreatic carcinomas. We aimed to investigate the pathological and genetic characteristics of pancreatic undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells and the key points of treatment.</p><p>Methods: The clinical data and follow-up results of four patients diagnosed with pancreatic undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells between May 2015 and May 2020 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University were retrospectively analyzed.</p><p>Results: Chief complaints included “pain and discomfort in the upper abdomen” (2/4), “nausea and vomiting” (1/4) or no symptoms (1/4). Preoperative mildly elevated tumor markers included carcinoembryonic antigen (1/4) and CA19-9 (1/4). The tumors were located in the tail of the pancreas in three patients and the head and neck in one patient. Tumor metastasis was found in pancreatic adipose tissue in two patients and lymph node metastasis in one patient, with microscopic heterogeneous mononuclear cells and scattered osteoclast-like giant cells of various sizes. One patient (1/4) had a mucinous cystic tumor of the pancreas, and two patients (2/4) had adenocarcinoma of the pancreatic duct. Only one patient received postoperative gemcitabine combined with albumin-bound paclitaxel chemotherapy.</p><p>Conclusion: Currently, treatment guidelines are lacking for PUC-OGC, and prognosis varies markedly. More cases must be reported to clarify its origination. The long-term follow-up of diagnosed patients and genetic mutation testing can also contribute to improving treatment and prognosis of this disease.</p>
INDIGO (University of Illinois at Chicago) · 2023 · 0 citations · open access
Table1_Case report: Pathological and genetic features of pancreatic undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells.DOCX
Abstract<p>Objectives: Pancreatic undifferentiated carcinoma accounts for 2%–7% of pancreatic carcinomas. We aimed to investigate the pathological and genetic characteristics of pancreatic undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells and the key points of treatment.</p><p>Methods: The clinical data and follow-up results of four patients diagnosed with pancreatic undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells between May 2015 and May 2020 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University were retrospectively analyzed.</p><p>Results: Chief complaints included “pain and discomfort in the upper abdomen” (2/4), “nausea and vomiting” (1/4) or no symptoms (1/4). Preoperative mildly elevated tumor markers included carcinoembryonic antigen (1/4) and CA19-9 (1/4). The tumors were located in the tail of the pancreas in three patients and the head and neck in one patient. Tumor metastasis was found in pancreatic adipose tissue in two patients and lymph node metastasis in one patient, with microscopic heterogeneous mononuclear cells and scattered osteoclast-like giant cells of various sizes. One patient (1/4) had a mucinous cystic tumor of the pancreas, and two patients (2/4) had adenocarcinoma of the pancreatic duct. Only one patient received postoperative gemcitabine combined with albumin-bound paclitaxel chemotherapy.</p><p>Conclusion: Currently, treatment guidelines are lacking for PUC-OGC, and prognosis varies markedly. More cases must be reported to clarify its origination. The long-term follow-up of diagnosed patients and genetic mutation testing can also contribute to improving treatment and prognosis of this disease.</p>
Image1_Case report: Pathological and genetic features of pancreatic undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells.TIF
Abstract<p>Objectives: Pancreatic undifferentiated carcinoma accounts for 2%–7% of pancreatic carcinomas. We aimed to investigate the pathological and genetic characteristics of pancreatic undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells and the key points of treatment.</p><p>Methods: The clinical data and follow-up results of four patients diagnosed with pancreatic undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells between May 2015 and May 2020 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University were retrospectively analyzed.</p><p>Results: Chief complaints included “pain and discomfort in the upper abdomen” (2/4), “nausea and vomiting” (1/4) or no symptoms (1/4). Preoperative mildly elevated tumor markers included carcinoembryonic antigen (1/4) and CA19-9 (1/4). The tumors were located in the tail of the pancreas in three patients and the head and neck in one patient. Tumor metastasis was found in pancreatic adipose tissue in two patients and lymph node metastasis in one patient, with microscopic heterogeneous mononuclear cells and scattered osteoclast-like giant cells of various sizes. One patient (1/4) had a mucinous cystic tumor of the pancreas, and two patients (2/4) had adenocarcinoma of the pancreatic duct. Only one patient received postoperative gemcitabine combined with albumin-bound paclitaxel chemotherapy.</p><p>Conclusion: Currently, treatment guidelines are lacking for PUC-OGC, and prognosis varies markedly. More cases must be reported to clarify its origination. The long-term follow-up of diagnosed patients and genetic mutation testing can also contribute to improving treatment and prognosis of this disease.</p>
Image2_Case report: Pathological and genetic features of pancreatic undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells.TIF
Abstract<p>Objectives: Pancreatic undifferentiated carcinoma accounts for 2%–7% of pancreatic carcinomas. We aimed to investigate the pathological and genetic characteristics of pancreatic undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells and the key points of treatment.</p><p>Methods: The clinical data and follow-up results of four patients diagnosed with pancreatic undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells between May 2015 and May 2020 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University were retrospectively analyzed.</p><p>Results: Chief complaints included “pain and discomfort in the upper abdomen” (2/4), “nausea and vomiting” (1/4) or no symptoms (1/4). Preoperative mildly elevated tumor markers included carcinoembryonic antigen (1/4) and CA19-9 (1/4). The tumors were located in the tail of the pancreas in three patients and the head and neck in one patient. Tumor metastasis was found in pancreatic adipose tissue in two patients and lymph node metastasis in one patient, with microscopic heterogeneous mononuclear cells and scattered osteoclast-like giant cells of various sizes. One patient (1/4) had a mucinous cystic tumor of the pancreas, and two patients (2/4) had adenocarcinoma of the pancreatic duct. Only one patient received postoperative gemcitabine combined with albumin-bound paclitaxel chemotherapy.</p><p>Conclusion: Currently, treatment guidelines are lacking for PUC-OGC, and prognosis varies markedly. More cases must be reported to clarify its origination. The long-term follow-up of diagnosed patients and genetic mutation testing can also contribute to improving treatment and prognosis of this disease.</p>
Disease module: DeepOracle (Open Targets). Structures: RDKit from PubChem SMILES. Literature: retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works (targeted per-candidate search), resolved on OpenAlex.
DeCure is a research and publication project, not medical advice and not a treatment. "DeCure for X" describes a research goal, not a claim that a cure exists. Backing a cure is a contribution to fund the research — it is not an investment, and confers no yield, royalty, equity or IP ownership. Papers are published open-access by the DeCure.ai DAO.
