title: Targeting stroma in pancreatic cancer: Promises and failures of targeted therapies.
abstract: Desmoplasia or abundant fibrotic stroma is a typical property of most malignancies, which has a great effect on tumorigenesis, angiogenesis, and resistance to therapy. The activated stroma cells comprises several cell types including endothelial cells, nerve cells, inflammatory/macrophages cells, stellate cells, and extracellular matrix. In other word, the interactions of cancer-stroma modulate tumorigenesis, therapy resistance, and poor delivery of drugs. Therefore, targeting the tumor stroma in combination with conventional chemotherapeutic agents could provide a promising approach in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. This review summarizes the current knowledge about pancreatic stellate cells, targeting stroma compartments with particular emphasis on preclinical, and clinical trials on targeting of stroma as an option in pancreatic cancer treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Modern Sciences and Technologies, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Afsane
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bahrami
authors.affiliation: Neurogenic Inflammatory Research Center and Department of Physiology, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Majid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khazaei
authors.affiliation: Department of Modern Sciences and Technologies, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Fariba
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bagherieh
authors.affiliation: Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Majid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghayour-Mobarhan
authors.affiliation: Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Mina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maftouh
authors.affiliation: Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.|Department of Medical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Mahdi
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5247-4043
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hassanian
authors.affiliation: Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.|Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Amir
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4968-0962
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Avan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000187:drug effects; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D005355:Fibrosis; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D017211:Treatment Failure
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
keywords: desmoplastic reaction; pancreatic cancer; pancreatic stellate cells; stroma