Optimization of a mouse model of pancreatic cancer to simulate the human phenotypes of metastasis and cachexia

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) presents with a high mortality rate. Two important features of PDAC contribute to this poor outcome. The first is metastasis which occurs in~80% of PDAC patients. The second is cachexia, which compromises treatment tolerance for patients and reduces their quality of life.