This “master gene” may be driving pancreatic cancer’s spread

A gene called KLF5 may be a key force behind the spread of pancreatic cancer—but not in the way scientists expected. Rather than mutating DNA, it rewires how genes are turned on and off, helping tumors grow and invade new areas. Researchers found it plays a major role in metastatic cells and even controls other genes linked to cancer progression. The discovery opens the door to new treatments that target cancer’s epigenetic “control system.”