Clinical Insights Into the Biology and Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer

Abstract

Pancreatic cancer is a devastating disease with a universally poor prognosis. In 2015, it is estimated that there will be 48,960 new cases of pancreatic cancer and that 40,560 people will die of the disease. The 5-year survival rate is 7.2% for all patients with pancreatic cancer; however, survival depends greatly on the stage at diagnosis. Unfortunately, 53% of patients already have metastatic disease at diagnosis, which corresponds to a 5-year survival rate of 2.4%. Even for the 9% of patients with localized disease confined to the pancreas, the 5-year survival is still modest at only 27.1%. These grim statistics highlight the need for ways to identify cohorts of individuals at highest risk, methods to screen those at highest risk to identify preinvasive pathologic precursors, and development of effective systemic therapies. Recent clinical and translational progress has emphasized the relationship with diabetes, the role of the stroma, and the interplay of each of these with inflammation in the pathobiology of pancreatic cancer. In this article, we will discuss these relationships and how they might translate into novel management strategies for the treatment of this disease.

FOLFIRINOX Chemotherapy in Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Retrospective and Phase II Studies

“…Metastatic pancreatic cancer remains one of the most lethal diseases with 5-year survival in the low single digits [ 1 ]. For several years since its introduction gemcitabine monotherapy was the standard palliative treatment for this disease.…”

PTEN-Dependent Stabilization of MTSS1 Inhibits Metastatic Phenotype in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

“…This accounts for 92% of all patients diagnosed with PDAC being diagnosed after the primary tumor has already spread. This phenomenon is due in part to the asymptomatic nature of the disease and a lack of reliable early detection methods [5] , [6] . Because of this late disease presentation, less than 20% of patients will be viable candidates for surgical resection, the treatment that still has the best outcome for pancreatic cancer patients [7] , [8] .…”

CBX7 suppresses cell proliferation, migration, and invasion through the inhibition of PTEN/Akt signaling in pancreatic cancer

“…Approximately 90% of all pancreatic cancer cases are fatal, making it one of the most lethal malignancies and a major worldwide health burden [1, 2]. Despite 50 years of active research, the prognosis for pancreatic cancer remains extremely poor with few therapeutic options [3].…”