Public defence: Stina Margrethe Stålberg

Stina Margrethe Stålberg will defend her PhD degree in ecology. The topic for the thesis is diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of patients with pancreatic and periampullary cancer.

17 Dec

Practical information

  • Date: 17 December 2024
  • Time: 10.00 - 15.30
  • Location: Bø, Auditorium 4-311A
  • Download calendar file

    • Link to digital participation. 

    Programme

    10.00 Trial lecture: Advantages and disadvantages of using ctDNA as a biomarker in patients with gastrointestinal cancer

    11.45 Public defence: "Pancreatic and periampullary carcinoma – Proteomics and metabolite profiles".

    Assessment committee

    • First opponent: Professor Julia S. Johansen, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev and Gentofte.

    • Second opponent: Dr. Marius Lund-Iversen, MD, PhD, Department of pathology, OUS, Radiumhospitalet.

    • Administrator: Associate professor Mona Støren Sæbø, University of South-Eastern Norway.

    Supervisors

    Main supervisor: Professor emerita Elin H. Kure, University of South-Eastern Norway.

    Co-supervisors: 

    • Professor Caroline S. Verbeke, Oslo University and Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet. 

    • Professor Knut Jørgen Labori, Oslo University and Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet.

    • Professor Bjørn S. Skålhegg, Oslo University.

    • Professor Ole Christian Lingjærde, Oslo University, Oslo University Hospital. 

    • Dr. Laxmi Silwal-Pandit, PhD, Oslo University Hospital, Radiumhospitalet. 

Any questions?

Stina Margrethe Stålberg is defending her thesis for the degree philosophiae doctor (PhD) in ecology at the University of South-Eastern Norway.

The doctoral work has been carried out at the faculty of technology, natural sciences and maritime sciences.

portrett av doktorgradsstipendiat Stina Margrethe Stålberg

You are invited to follow the trial lecture and the public defence. You can also participate digitally, via Zoom. 

Summary

In this thesis, we identified metabolite- and protein profiles in blood and tumor tissue differentiating patients with benign and malignant disease in the pancreas and periampullary region. A subset of proteins, a single metabolite, and KRAS mutation subtypes were associated with patient survival. We also found multiple proteins with significantly higher levels in tumor tissue compared to non-cancerous tissue. Cross-referencing these with a list of FDA-approved drugs and potential targets, identified potential drug targets in pancreatic and periampullary cancer. 

Patients with pancreatic and periampullary cancers have poor overall survival. As of today, surgery is the sole possible curative treatment. A majority of the patients are diagnosed with locally advanced or metastatic disease. This leads to only a subset of patients being eligible for surgery with curative intent. Some patients suffer from early recurrence of the cancer, and some undergo surgery for suspected malignant disease only to be diagnosed with a benign entity. It is crucial to improve the clinical work-up in order to identify the patients that will benefit from surgery, chemotherapy, and other cancer-targeted treatments. 

We used liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in all three studies included in the thesis. Blood, tissue from surgery specimens, and clinical data were collected from patients with suspected periampullary cancers. Several statistical tests and modelling techniques were performed to determine associations between variables and identify subgroups of patients with characteristic traits. 

This thesis has contributed to improve the current knowledge of the molecular biology of pancreatic and periampullary cancers.