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Updated: Aug 11, 2026
Bioluminescent Orthotopic Model of Pancreatic Cancer Progression
Published on: June 28, 2013
Drug development in pancreatic cancer: finally, biology begets therapy
Steven J Cohen1, Neal J Meropol
1Department of Medical Oncology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Abstract:
Pancreatic cancer is rarely curable, and only 5% of patients achieve long-term survival. The vast majority of patients present with metastatic or unresectable disease. Standard chemotherapy with gemcitabine provides clinical benefit to only a small minority of patients. Thus, the development and investigation of new therapies is clearly needed. As knowledge of the underlying biology of pancreatic cancer has increased, targeted therapies based upon preclinical laboratory work have been developed, and are entering clinical trials. Some of these agents lack traditional dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) at biologically active doses, and therefore clinical evaluation may not follow traditional guidelines for cytotoxic drug development. This article focuses on targeted therapies currently undergoing clinical evaluation in pancreatic cancer. Classes of therapeutics reviewed include those targeting tumor-microenvironment interactions (matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors, vascular endothelial growth-factor blockade), signal transduction (e.g., farnesyltransferase inhibitors), growth-factor receptors (epidermal growth-factor receptor blockade, Her-2/neu, gastrin), and vaccine approaches. Currently, there is a renewed optimism that the clinical application of biologic understanding will lead to an improved outcome for patients with pancreatic cancer.
Insights
New targeted therapies offer hope for pancreatic cancer patients, moving beyond traditional chemotherapy. These novel treatments, focusing on tumor biology, are entering clinical trials for improved outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Translational Medicine
Background:
- Pancreatic cancer has a poor prognosis, with low long-term survival rates and limited efficacy of standard gemcitabine chemotherapy.
- Most patients are diagnosed with advanced or unresectable disease, necessitating novel therapeutic strategies.
- Advancements in understanding pancreatic cancer biology have paved the way for targeted therapies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review targeted therapies currently under clinical evaluation for pancreatic cancer.
- To discuss novel therapeutic approaches that may not follow traditional cytotoxic drug development guidelines.
- To highlight the potential of biologically-informed treatments to improve patient outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Review of targeted therapies in clinical trials for pancreatic cancer.
- Categorization of therapies based on their biological targets (e.g., tumor microenvironment, signal transduction, growth factor receptors).
- Discussion of vaccine approaches as a therapeutic strategy.
Main Results:
- Several classes of targeted therapies are in clinical development, including inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases, vascular endothelial growth factor, farnesyltransferase, and growth factor receptors (EGFR, Her-2/neu, gastrin).
- Some targeted agents may not exhibit traditional dose-limiting toxicities, requiring adapted clinical evaluation.
- Vaccine approaches are also being investigated.
Conclusions:
- Targeted therapies informed by biological insights represent a promising avenue for improving outcomes in pancreatic cancer.
- A renewed optimism exists for the clinical application of these novel agents.
- Further clinical evaluation is crucial for these targeted therapies to benefit patients with pancreatic cancer.
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