Novel Approaches to Target Pancreatic Cancer.
Summary of "Novel Approaches to Target Pancreatic Cancer."
Despite remarkable progress that has been made in the recent years in the treatment of gastrointestinal tumors, in particular colorectal cancer, the prognosis of pancreatic cancer remains dismal. Five years after diagnosis almost all patients have died. At early stages of the disease surgery is the only modality to achieve long term survival. In the palliative setting gemcitabine conferes some benefit to patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. A large number of chemotherapy combinations has been tested in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. Only one combination showed significant improvement of survival, however also increased toxicity. The introduction of targeted therapies raised hopes for a better treatment of pancreatic cancer. However, most of the compounds tested so far failed to improve the survival of patients with pancreatic cancer. This review summarizes molecular targets examined so far in pancreatic cancer including matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors, farnesyltransferase inhibitors, vascular endothelial growth factor and epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors and points out novel promising strategies for this difficult-to-treat tumor.
Affiliation
Department of Internal Medicine I, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Ernst-Grube-Strasse 40, D-06120 Halle (Saale), Germany. thomas.seufferlein@medizin.uni-halle.de.
Journal Details
This article was published in the following journal.
Name: Current cancer drug targets
ISSN: 1873-5576
Pages:
Links
- PubMed Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21599630
- DOI: http://dx.doi.org/
Medical and Biotech [MESH] Definitions
Pancreatic Neoplasms
Tumors or cancer of the PANCREAS. Depending on the types of ISLET CELLS present in the tumors, various hormones can be secreted: GLUCAGON from PANCREATIC ALPHA CELLS; INSULIN from PANCREATIC BETA CELLS; and SOMATOSTATIN from the SOMATOSTATIN-SECRETING CELLS. Most are malignant except the insulin-producing tumors (INSULINOMA).
Pancreatic Stellate Cells
Star-shaped, myofibroblast-like cells located in the periacinar, perivascular, and periductal regions of the EXOCRINE PANCREAS. They play a key role in the pathobiology of FIBROSIS; PANCREATITIS; and PANCREATIC CANCER.
Pancreatic Polypeptide
A 36-amino acid pancreatic hormone that is secreted mainly by endocrine cells found at the periphery of the ISLETS OF LANGERHANS and adjacent to cells containing SOMATOSTATIN and GLUCAGON. Pancreatic polypeptide (PP), when administered peripherally, can suppress gastric secretion, gastric emptying, pancreatic enzyme secretion, and appetite. A lack of pancreatic polypeptide (PP) has been associated with OBESITY in rats and mice.
Pancreatic Extracts
Extracts prepared from pancreatic tissue that may contain the pancreatic enzymes or other specific uncharacterized factors or proteins with specific activities. PANCREATIN is a specific extract containing digestive enzymes and used to treat pancreatic insufficiency.
Trypsin Inhibitor, Kazal Pancreatic
A pancreatic trypsin inhibitor common to all mammals. It is secreted with the zymogens into the pancreatic juice. It is a protein composed of 56 amino acid residues and is different in amino acid composition and physiological activity from the Kunitz bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (APROTININ).
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