Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest of cancers. Often, it is not diagnosed until a very advanced stage because there are few or no symptoms earlier, and by that time symptoms the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. It is the fourth leading cause of death among all forms of cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Now, a treatment called targeted therapy is showing some promise against pancreatic cancer. Targeted therapy is the use of drugs that attack only the cancer cells and tend to spare the rest of the pancreas. These drugs may be used either instead of current treatments or along with them.
The pancreas is a glandular organ that has several functions. It is where the body produces insulin, and other hormones that circulate in the blood. It also secretes digestive enzymes that pass into the intestines through ducts.
Pancreatic cancer usually starts in the pancreatic ducts. Most pancreatic cancers carry a faulty version of a gene called KRAS. Researchers are working on drugs that target this KRAS mutation.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved three treatment regimens to treat advanced cases of pancreatic cancer. These are gemcitabine (Gemzar); erlotinib (Tarceva) in combination with gemcitabine; and nab-paclitaxel (Abraxane) in combination with gemcitabine. These drugs inhibit the growth of tumor cells.
Research is also being done on angiogenesis inhibitors. Angiogenesis is the growth of new blood vessels, which tumors need in order to grow. Blocking the formation of new blood vessels starves the tumor.
Often, chemotherapy does not work well against pancreatic cancer because pancreatic tumors have very dense tissue called stroma that appears to protect them from chemotherapy drugs. Researchers are investigating drugs that can break down the stroma, allowing the chemotherapy drugs to work.
Risk factors for pancreatic cancer include smoking, being overweight, and being diabetic. Most cases occur in people over age 70.