Scientific rationale for integrative and personalised strategies for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma management

Abstract

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) arises from epithelia of pancreas. Despite its low incidence, it is the most lethal cancer type. Although the poor outcome is largely secondary to the high proportion of patients who are diagnosed with advanced disease, the prognosis of PDAC is also influenced by the inherent biological aggressiveness and the high metastatic potential of this malignancy. Treatment options remain limited with little progress over the last decades. Some improvements in surgical outcome occur in patients who also receive chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy, however, the impact on long-term survival has been minimal owing to the intense resistance of PDAC to all extent treatments regimen. Hence, there is an urgent need to 1) gain better understanding of the biology of PDAC; 2) to develop early detection and prevention programs; 3) to identify new therapeutic strategies to improve quality of life and survivorship. In this review, first, we will summarise the state of knowledge of PDAC pathogenesis with a particular the focus on the molecular characteristics causing therapeutic resistance. Then, we will briefly review current and emerging approaches in the PDAC care. Lastly, we will highlight the integrative approaches in the light of new experimental and clinical research conducted with the aim of moving towards personalised therapy in patients with PDAC.