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Emerging Systemic Therapy Considerations for Pancreatic Cancer
Kai-Li Liang1, Matthew Z Guo2, Neeha Zaidi3
1Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD.; Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD.
Seminars in Radiation Oncology
|September 11, 2025
Summary
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a deadly cancer with poor survival rates. Emerging treatments leverage genomic insights and targeted therapies for advanced PDAC, offering new hope.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Genomics
- Cancer Therapeutics
Background:
- Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is projected to be the second leading cause of cancer death in the US by 2030.
- Patients with metastatic PDAC have a dismal 5-year survival rate below 10%.
- Historically, PDAC was viewed as a uniform disease with limited therapeutic options.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the evolution of systemic treatments for advanced PDAC.
- To highlight emerging therapies that utilize genomic heterogeneity.
- To discuss treatments based on synergistic mechanisms of action.
Main Methods:
- Review of historical and current systemic treatments for advanced PDAC.
- Analysis of advances in genomic profiling and targeted therapies.
- Examination of emerging immune-based strategies.
Main Results:
- Significant progress has been made in understanding PDAC's genomic landscape.
- Biomarker-driven treatment modalities are increasingly integrated into clinical practice.
- New therapeutic strategies exploit tumor heterogeneity and combination approaches.
Conclusions:
- PDAC treatment is shifting from a monolithic approach to personalized, biomarker-guided strategies.
- Advances in genomics and targeted therapies are improving outcomes for advanced PDAC.
- Future directions involve leveraging synergistic mechanisms for enhanced efficacy.
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