Pancreatic Cancer Treatment: Obstacles and Opportunities

With the advancement of medical technology, the survival rate of most cancers is increasing, such as breast cancer, and colorectal cancer. However, there is one exception, and that is pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer is considered to be the most deadly cancer and difficult to cope with. The survival rate of pancreatic cancer has been stagnant with the five-year survival rate only 5% to 10%.

• Obstacles in Pancreatic Cancer Treatment

Firstly, pancreatic cancer cannot be detected early. The pancreas is located on the deep side of the stomach, behind the intestines. Because of the hidden position and the inconspicuous visceral feeling, there are no symptoms of early pancreatic cancer. When symptoms such as abdominal pain, jaundice, and weight loss appear, it is often in the middle and late stages of pancreatic cancer, of which the treatment effect is poor.

What’s more, surgery for pancreatic cancer cells is difficult. Pancreatic cancer cells easily invade the surrounding lymph nodes and blood vessels. If the cancer cells surround the large blood vessels, the operation is highly difficult, and it is easy to cause hemorrhage. Radical surgery for pancreatic cancer is one of the most difficult and time-consuming operations in general surgery.

Besides, referring to pancreatic cancer, effective adjuvant treatments are absent. In addition to surgical treatment, other treatments are also very crucial. However, pancreatic cancer cells, who are not sensitive to radiotherapy and chemotherapy, grow too fast, and specific targeted drugs have not been developed yet. In addition to surgical treatment, other treatment methods are less effective.

• New Research Shows Opportunities of Pancreatic Cancer Treatment

Researchers from Crick University have discovered a protein that promotes the growth of pancreatic cancer, which may become a target for new pancreatic cancer treatments. In this study, the researchers analyzed a group of subpopulations called tumor stem cells, which can differentiate into different types of tumor cell subpopulations. Since these cells are the driving force of cancer growth, being able to recognize them is an important step towards the development of new therapies. The research team found that tumor cells all express a protein called CD9. Therefore, this protein can be used as a marker to help find the aforementioned cell subpopulations. Related research results were published in Nature Cell Biology.

Oncolytic viruses can selectively infect and destroy cancer cells and are a promising new class of cancer treatment drugs. Oncolytic viruses kill cancer cells through a variety of mechanisms and cause a strong anti-tumor immune response. Recently, researchers from Queen Mary University of London and Zhengzhou University in China have developed a systemic drug delivery platform using oncolytic vaccinia virus to treat pancreatic cancer. The virus has been modified to improve its safety, and its ability to spread within and between tumors, as well as to activate effective anti-tumor immune responses. The combination with immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) significantly prolongs the survival period of preclinical model animals of pancreatic cancer. Related research was published in Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer.

Another new study shows that a new peptide antagonist used in combination with PD-1 inhibitors shows better safety and tolerability in the treatment of patients with advanced, refractory pancreatic cancer and rectal cancer. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Colorado School of Medicine found that the CXCR4 peptide antagonist LY2510924 combined with Durvalumab can be used in the treatment of advanced refractory solid tumors. The study also determined the maximum tolerated dose of LY2510924. The research was published in Journal of Pancreatic Cancer.

With the efforts of scientific researchers around the world, we have made significant progress in understanding the occurrence and progression of pancreatic cancer, as well as the interaction between tumor cells and their surrounding microenvironment. In the next 10 years, major breakthroughs in the treatment of pancreatic cancer will come from innovative therapies and drugs that modify the tumor microenvironment and improve the anti-tumor immune response. It is believed that these breakthroughs may transform pancreatic cancer from a death sentence to a chronic disease that can be controlled.

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