title: Smarter drugs emerging in pancreatic cancer therapy.
abstract: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the leading causes of cancer death in the Western world. Owing to a lack of specific symptoms and no accessible precursor lesions, primary diagnosis is commonly delayed, resulting in only 15%-20% of patients with potentially curable disease. The standard of care in advanced pancreatic cancer has improved. Apart from gemcitabine (plus erlotinib), FOLFIRINOX and the combination of gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel are novel and promising therapeutic options for patients with metastatic PDAC. A better molecular understanding of pancreatic cancer has led to the identification of a variety of potential molecular therapeutic targets. Many targeted therapies are currently under clinical evaluation in combination with standard therapies for PDAC. This review highlights the current status of targeted therapies and their potential benefit for the treatment of advanced PDAC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine I, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kleger
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine I, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Perkhofer
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine I, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany. Electronic address: thomas.seufferlein@uniklinik-ulm.de.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Seufferlein
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001343:Autophagy / Q000187:drug effects; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D051231:Farnesyltranstransferase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D006801:Humans; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D051231:Farnesyltranstransferase; D066246:ErbB Receptors
keywords: advanced disease; cancer; pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma; targeted therapies; treatment