Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: Current and evolving therapies

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), which constitutes 90% of pancreatic cancers, is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the world. Due to the broad heterogeneity of genetic mutations and dense stromal environment, PDAC belongs to one of the most chemoresistant cancers. Most of...

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Main Authors: Adamska, A., Domenichini, A., Falasca, Marco
Format: Journal Article
Published: MDPI AG 2017
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/54405
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author Adamska, A.
Domenichini, A.
Falasca, Marco
author_facet Adamska, A.
Domenichini, A.
Falasca, Marco
author_sort Adamska, A.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), which constitutes 90% of pancreatic cancers, is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the world. Due to the broad heterogeneity of genetic mutations and dense stromal environment, PDAC belongs to one of the most chemoresistant cancers. Most of the available treatments are palliative, with the objective of relieving disease-related symptoms and prolonging survival. Currently, available therapeutic options are surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and use of targeted drugs. However, thus far, therapies targeting cancer-associated molecular pathways have not given satisfactory results; this is due in part to the rapid upregulation of compensatory alternative pathways as well as dense desmoplastic reaction. In this review, we summarize currently available therapies and clinical trials, directed towards a plethora of pathways and components dysregulated during PDAC carcinogenesis. Emerging trends towards targeted therapies as the most promising approach will also be discussed.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-544052017-09-28T07:31:59Z Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: Current and evolving therapies Adamska, A. Domenichini, A. Falasca, Marco Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), which constitutes 90% of pancreatic cancers, is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the world. Due to the broad heterogeneity of genetic mutations and dense stromal environment, PDAC belongs to one of the most chemoresistant cancers. Most of the available treatments are palliative, with the objective of relieving disease-related symptoms and prolonging survival. Currently, available therapeutic options are surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and use of targeted drugs. However, thus far, therapies targeting cancer-associated molecular pathways have not given satisfactory results; this is due in part to the rapid upregulation of compensatory alternative pathways as well as dense desmoplastic reaction. In this review, we summarize currently available therapies and clinical trials, directed towards a plethora of pathways and components dysregulated during PDAC carcinogenesis. Emerging trends towards targeted therapies as the most promising approach will also be discussed. 2017 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/54405 10.3390/ijms18071338 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ MDPI AG fulltext
spellingShingle Adamska, A.
Domenichini, A.
Falasca, Marco
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: Current and evolving therapies
title Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: Current and evolving therapies
title_full Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: Current and evolving therapies
title_fullStr Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: Current and evolving therapies
title_full_unstemmed Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: Current and evolving therapies
title_short Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: Current and evolving therapies
title_sort pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: current and evolving therapies
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/54405