Journal article
Evolution of novel therapeutic options for pancreatic cancer
Current opinion in gastroenterology, Vol.32(5), pp.401-407
09/01/2016
DOI: 10.1097/MOG.0000000000000298
PMID: 27454027
Abstract
Purpose of review
Pancreatic cancer is the most devastating of all cancers with an extremely poor prognosis. In US alone, over 50000 new cases of pancreatic cancer are reported annually, and about the same number succumb to it, making pancreatic cancer the third most common cause of cancer deaths. Most patients with pancreatic cancer present with advanced disease, which cannot be resected surgically, and for these patients chemotherapy is the only option. Even patients who undergo resection require adjuvant therapy to decrease the risk of recurrence. Since the 1950s, a variety of different agents, like antimetabolites, nucleoside analogs, and DNA intercalating compounds, have been used against pancreatic cancer, alone or in combination, with little improvement in the survival statistics. The current article reviews the evolution of chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer, and discusses some novel therapeutic options that are emerging in recent times, with special emphasis on Minnelide, a novel HSP70 inhibitor, which is currently in clinical trials.
Recent findings
Approaches towards developing therapies for pancreatic cancer have evolved tremendously over the past decade. Research has shown that apart from the inherent drug resistance, drug delivery to pancreatic cancer has also posed a major challenge. The extensive desmoplastic stroma of pancreatic cancer is believed to create inordinately high interstitial fluid pressures leading to vascular collapse and substantial barrier to perfusion of chemotherapeutics, thus creating an additional layer of protection for pancreatic cancer. Recent research thus is focused not only on understanding the biology and developing strategies to target cancer cells, but also is targeted towards the depletion of stroma in order to ensure better delivery of chemotherapeutic compounds to the tumor.
Summary
The current article describes the novel therapies that are constantly being evaluated to address and overcome the challenges that make pancreatic cancer a difficult disease to treat.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Evolution of novel therapeutic options for pancreatic cancer
- Creators
- Ashok K. Saluja - University of MiamiVikas Dudeja - University of MiamiSulagna Banerjee - University of Miami
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Current opinion in gastroenterology, Vol.32(5), pp.401-407
- DOI
- 10.1097/MOG.0000000000000298
- PMID
- 27454027
- NLM abbreviation
- Curr Opin Gastroenterol
- ISSN
- 0267-1379
- eISSN
- 1531-7056
- Publisher
- Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
- Number of pages
- 7
- Grant note
- Katherine and Robert Goodale foundation R01CA124723 / National Cancer Institute; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH National Cancer Institute (NCI) R01-CA170946; CA124723; R01-CA184274 / NIH; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; Office of the Administrator (NIH) Minneamrita Therapeutics LLC
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 09/01/2016
- Academic Unit
- Anatomy and Cell Biology; Surgery
- Record Identifier
- 9985244571902771
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