Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 16, 2025

Author Spotlight: Reprogramming Cancer Cells to iPSCs to Study Disease Progression and Treatment Targets
07:08

Author Spotlight: Reprogramming Cancer Cells to iPSCs to Study Disease Progression and Treatment Targets

Published on: February 2, 2024

919

Overcoming therapy resistance in pancreatic cancer: challenges and emerging strategies

Taymin du Toit-Thompson1, Lionel Leck1, Josef Gillson1

  • 1Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Australia; Kolling Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, St Leonards, Sydney, Australia.

Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews
|July 11, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Pancreatic cancer (PC) remains deadly due to chemoresistance. This review explores PC chemoresistance mechanisms and the microbiome

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Cancer Biology
  • Gastroenterology

Background:

  • Pancreatic cancer (PC) has a low 5-year survival rate (~12.5%) and is projected to be the second leading cause of cancer deaths by 2030.
  • Chemotherapy is the primary treatment for PC, but most tumors exhibit chemoresistance, leading to treatment failure.
  • Advances in targeted and immunotherapies have yet to significantly benefit PC patients.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide a comprehensive overview of established chemoresistance mechanisms in pancreatic cancer.
  • To explore emerging theories on PC chemoresistance, including the role of the microbiome.
  • To discuss potential strategies for overcoming chemoresistance in pancreatic cancer.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of established and emerging mechanisms of pancreatic cancer chemoresistance.
  • Analysis of current therapeutic strategies and their limitations.
  • Exploration of the potential impact of the gut microbiome on treatment response.

Main Results:

  • Pancreatic tumors frequently display a chemo-resistant phenotype, limiting treatment efficacy.
  • Established mechanisms of chemoresistance are complex and multifactorial.
  • The gut microbiome is an emerging factor that may influence pancreatic cancer treatment responsiveness.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding chemoresistance mechanisms is crucial for improving pancreatic cancer outcomes.
  • Investigating the role of the microbiome offers novel therapeutic avenues.
  • Developing strategies to overcome chemoresistance is essential for enhancing patient survival rates.
Keywords:
Chemotherapy resistancePancreatic cancerSystemic treatmentTherapeutic failure

More Related Videos

Studying Pancreatic Cancer Stem Cell Characteristics for Developing New Treatment Strategies07:29

Studying Pancreatic Cancer Stem Cell Characteristics for Developing New Treatment Strategies

Published on: June 20, 2015

19.7K
Establishment of Zebrafish Patient-Derived Xenografts from Pancreatic Cancer for Chemosensitivity Testing06:59

Establishment of Zebrafish Patient-Derived Xenografts from Pancreatic Cancer for Chemosensitivity Testing

Published on: May 12, 2023

1.3K

Related Concept Videos

Chronic Pancreatitis II: Collaborative Care01:29

Chronic Pancreatitis II: Collaborative Care

The management of chronic pancreatitis is multifaceted, involving a comprehensive approach that includes thorough assessment, diagnostic testing, and a variety of management strategies.
Assessment:
130
Treatment Resistant Cancers02:56

Treatment Resistant Cancers

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. A cancer cell is genetically unstable and hence can mutate faster. They can also modify their microenvironment and escape immune surveillance. The difficulties in treating cancer are further compounded by the emergence of rapid resistance to anticancer drugs. The most common ways to attain resistance in cancer cells include alteration in drug transport and metabolism, modification of drug target, elevated DNA damage response, or...
3.4K
Cancer Therapies02:49

Cancer Therapies

Cancer therapies are various modes of treatment, such as surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy that are administered to cancer patients.
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
8.0K
Tumor Immunotherapy01:27

Tumor Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a treatment that boosts or manipulates the immune system to fight diseases, including cancer. For instance, by stimulating an immune response through vaccinations against viruses that cause cancers, like hepatitis B virus and human papillomavirus, these diseases can be prevented. Nonetheless, some cancer cells can avoid the immune system due to their rapid mutation and division. The immune response to many cancers involves three phases: elimination, equilibrium, and escape.
664
Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
7.8K
Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine02:50

Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine

Combining two or more treatment methods increases the life span of cancer patients while reducing damage to vital organs or tissue from the overuse of a single treatment. Combination therapy also targets different cancer-inducing pathways, thus reducing the chances of developing resistance to treatment.
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...
5.1K