Pancreatic Cancer: Challenges and Opportunities in Locoregional Therapies

Abstract

Pancreatic cancer (PC) remains the seventh leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide and the third in the United States, making it one of the most lethal solid malignancies. Unfortunately, the symptoms of this disease are not very apparent despite an increasing incidence rate. Therefore, at the time of diagnosis, 45% of patients have already developed metastatic tumours. Due to the aggressive nature of the pancreatic tumours, local interventions are required in addition to first-line treatments. Locoregional interventions affect a specific area of the pancreas to minimize local tumour recurrence and reduce the side effects on surrounding healthy tissues. However, compared to the number of new studies on systemic therapy, very little research has been conducted on localised interventions for PC. To address this unbalanced focus and to shed light on the tremendous potentials of locoregional therapies, this work will provide a detailed discussion of various localised treatment strategies. Most importantly, to the best of our knowledge, the aspect of localised drug delivery systems used in PC was unprecedentedly discussed in this work. This review is meant for researchers and clinicians considering utilizing local therapy for the effective treatment of PC, providing a thorough guide on recent advancements in research and clinical trials toward locoregional interventions, together with the authors’ insight into their potential improvements.

68Ga-HBED-CC-WL-12 PET in Diagnosing and Differentiating Pancreatic Cancers in Murine Models

“…Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most aggressive cancers and is the third leading cause of cancer death [ 20 ]. Thus far, the only potentially curative option for pancreatic cancer remains surgery, but about one-half of patients with PC present with distant metastases, and approximately one-third present with locally advanced diseases [ 21 ], for whom it is impossible to perform surgery.…”

A novel prediction model of the risk of pancreatic cancer among diabetes patients using multiple clinical data and machine learning

“…1,2 Comparatively, patients without surgical resection have far worse outcomes with a 5-year survival rate of <5%. 3 Previous research highlights that the significant risk factors for pancreatic cancer include age, gender, race, a family history of inheritance, smoking, drinking, obesity, chronic pancreatitis, hepatitis, and persons living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLWH). [4][5][6] Additionally, patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) have an elevated risk for pancreatic cancer.…”

“…Of the 10%–20% of pancreatic cancer patients who undergo surgical resection after diagnosis, only about 20% have a 5‐year survival rate 1,2 . Comparatively, patients without surgical resection have far worse outcomes with a 5‐year survival rate of <5% 3 . Previous research highlights that the significant risk factors for pancreatic cancer include age, gender, race, a family history of inheritance, smoking, drinking, obesity, chronic pancreatitis, hepatitis, and persons living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLWH) 4–6 .…”

FERMT1 Is a Prognostic Marker Involved in Immune Infiltration of Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Correlating with m6A Modification and Necroptosis

“…Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) is a cancerous and invasive tumor of the digestive system, which causes almost the same number of deaths as cases and ranks as the fourth most common cause of cancer-related fatality [ 1 , 2 ]. With inapparent early symptoms, the majority of patients with PAAD are detected at the advanced or metastatic stage, and the overall prognosis is poor [ 3 , 4 ].…”