Current Challenges and Opportunities for Chemoprevention of Pancreatic Cancer.
BACKGROUND
The incidence of pancreatic cancer (PC) is rising in parallel with the deaths caused by this malignant disease largely due to limited improvement in current treatment strategies. In spite of aggressive PC research, for the past three decades, there has been no significant improvement in the five-year survival for this cancer. Like many other cancers, it takes several years for normal pancreatic cells to transform into pancreatic precursor lesions and to further progress into invasive carcinoma. Hence there is a scope for the development of chemo-preventive strategies to inhibit/ delay/prevent progression of this disease into an advanced stage cancer.


OBJECTIVE
Chemoprevention of pancreatic cancer.


METHODS
Review of published literature.


CONCLUSIONS
Availability of various genetically engineered mouse (GEM) models of PC has led to accelerated progress in understanding the disease and developing intervention strategies otherwise stalled for a long time. These GEM models spontaneously develop PC in a stepwise manner and mimic the disease etiology in humans. Understanding PC development from initiation to progression to metastasis is very important for early detection and prevention of PC. In this review, we focus on the current situation, the potential challenges, the progress in existing strategies and available opportunities as well as suggest key areas for research within the increasingly important area of pancreatic cancer chemoprevention.
Department of Medicine, Hem-Onc Section, Center for Cancer Prevention and Drug Development, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States.
Altaf
A
Mohammed
Department of Medicine, Hem-Onc Section, Center for Cancer Prevention and Drug Development, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States.
Naveena B
NB
Janakiram
Department of Medicine, Hem-Onc Section, Center for Cancer Prevention and Drug Development, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States.
Venkateshwar
V
Madka
Department of Medicine, Hem-Onc Section, Center for Cancer Prevention and Drug Development, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States.
Min
M
Li
Department of Medicine, Hem-Onc Section, Center for Cancer Prevention and Drug Development, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States.
Adam S
AS
Asch
Department of Medicine, Hem-Onc Section, Center for Cancer Prevention and Drug Development, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States.
Chinthalapally V
CV
Rao
D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018890:Chemoprevention; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006903:Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D006903:Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D066246:ErbB Receptors
Pancreatic cancer; chemoprevention; drug; early detection; genetically engineered mouse models; invasive carcinoma; targets.