Emerging Treatment Strategies in Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreas. 2021 Jul 1;50(6):773-787. doi: 10.1097/MPA.0000000000001845.

Abstract

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the main causes of cancer death in well-developed countries. Therapeutic advances in PDAC to date have been modest. Recent progress to understand the molecular landscape of the disease has opened new treatment opportunities for a small subset of patients, frequently those with KRAS wild-type disease. Novel treatment strategies in PDAC include, among others, the use of nanotechnology and metabolic reprogramming. In addition, new strategies are being investigated, which are designed to overcome the resistance to checkpoint inhibitors, targeting DNA repair pathways including mismatch repair, increasing antigen presentation through the use of vaccines, targeting various signaling pathways, and reprogramming the tumor microenvironment. Here, we review the landscape of PDAC treatment strategies and some of these new agents.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use*
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism
  • Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / genetics
  • Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / metabolism
  • Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / therapy*
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • DNA Repair / genetics
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy / methods*
  • Immunotherapy, Adoptive / methods*
  • Molecular Targeted Therapy / methods*
  • Mutation
  • Outcome Assessment, Health Care / methods
  • Outcome Assessment, Health Care / statistics & numerical data
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / genetics
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Signal Transduction / genetics

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor