Interrogation of Exosome-mediated Intercellular Signaling in Patients With Pancreatic Cancer

The purpose of this study is to isolate and analyze exosomes, which are tiny carriers of important proteins and nucleic acids that serve as messenger systems in the blood and tissue. Blood and tissue from patients with pancreatic cancer will be compared with blood and tissue from patients with noncancerous pancreatic disease. Including patients without cancer will allow the investigators to establish "normal" values, which currently do not exist. The investigators will then look to see whether exosome activity has a connection to disease recurrence and outcomes in patients. The results of this study will be the basis for future studies exploring this area.