title: Signaling pathways in pancreatic cancer.
abstract: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a deadly malignancy characterized by a plethora of molecular alterations that include major and minor driving mutations, the presence of intense desmoplasia exhibiting numerous proliferating pancreatic stellate cells (PSC) and cancer-associated fibroblasts that produce fibronectin and collagens, and foci of inflammatory cells that produce mitogenic cytokines. This review will focus on signaling by tyrosine kinase receptors, and the role of transforming growth factor beta in this malignancy is described briefly. Potential for therapeutic interventions will be discussed in relation to specific pathways.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire 03755, USA.
authors.forename: Meir
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Preis
authors.forename: Murray
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Korc
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D021441:Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017468:Receptors, Fibroblast Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017479:Receptors, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017451:Receptors, Somatomedin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017468:Receptors, Fibroblast Growth Factor; D017451:Receptors, Somatomedin; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D017479:Receptors, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor