Scientists achieve pancreatic tumour ‘cure’ in mice
By Health and Science Africa
New research from Spain has found that triple therapy eliminates pancreatic tumours in mice.
Researchers at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre reported that a triple-targeted drug combination can induce complete and durable regression of pancreatic tumours in preclinical models, potentially overcoming treatment resistance in one of the deadliest cancers.
The study describes a targeted combination therapy that simultaneously targets three key signalling pathways in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the most common and lethal type of pancreatic cancer.
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive tumours. It remains notoriously difficult to treat, with very poor survival rates and limited effective therapies, partly because of the rapid emergence of resistance to treatment.
However, the new study shows that triple combination therapy can eliminate pancreatic tumours in mice and prevent recurrence.
In a statement, the researchers said these studies pave the way for the design of new combination therapies that could improve survival in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
They said the results set the direction for new clinical trials.
The results, published in the scientific journal ‘PNAS’, show that simultaneously targeting three key points of the KRAS oncogene molecular pathway achieves long-lasting tumour regression.
Euronews reports that the key to the breakthrough lies in avoiding the resistance that appears when the oncogene is blocked at a single point.
The CNIO team combined an experimental KRAS inhibitor, already approved for lung cancer, with a protein degrader, resulting in tumour regression without significant side effects across three animal models.
Although the result could be a milestone in the fight against cancer, the study authors issued caution.
“We are not yet in a position to carry out clinical trials with triple therapy. The authors themselves warn that optimising this combination for patients will be a complex process, although they are confident that the finding will set the course for future trials,” they said.
One of the most significant hurdles in targeted cancer therapies is the development of resistance. This new combination strategy appears to prevent this relapse, at least in preclinical models, by attacking multiple nodes of tumour signalling simultaneously.
While further research will be required before human trials can begin, these findings represent an important advance in the search for better pancreatic cancer therapies.
