About Careers Internship MedBlog Contact us
Medindia LOGIN REGISTER
Advertisement

Pancreatic Cancer Treated With 'Old' Drug in a New Way

by Himabindu Venkatakrishnan on August 4, 2014 at 12:33 PM
 Pancreatic Cancer Treated With 'Old' Drug in a New Way

A new use for an old drug that shrinks a particular type of pancreatic cancer tumor and stops it spreading has been found by Cancer Research UK scientists, the research being published in Gut.

"It's a crucial step forward in developing new treatments for this devastating disease" - Dr Jennifer Morton, study author

Advertisement

The scientists, at the Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute and the University of Glasgow, treated mice with pancreatic cancers caused by known genetic faults with the drug rapamycin.

Previous clinical trials did not find this drug to be effective as a treatment for pancreatic cancers when it was given to all patients with different forms of the disease.
Advertisement

But the team's findings show that a particular type of pancreatic tumour - caused by a fault in the gene PTEN, which is involved in cell growth - may be responsive to the drug after all.

They found that giving rapamycin to mice with faulty PTEN pancreatic tumours stopped the cancer cells from spreading. In some cases the drug also caused the tumour to shrink.

The drug blocks a protein called 'mammalian target of rapamycin' (mTOR), which also controls cell growth. The research suggests that tumours caused by the faulty PTEN gene may be dependent on mTOR to keep growing.

And in an analysis of a sample of human pancreatic tumours the team found that around one in five carried a faulty PTEN gene, giving hope that a substantial number of patients could benefit from treatment with rapamycin.

Study author, Dr Jennifer Morton, a scientist at the Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, University of Glasgow, said: "This is incredibly important research showing for the first time that there's potential to tailor treatment to pancreatic cancer patients based on differences in their tumour's genetic fingerprint."

"Although it's at a very early stage, it's the first time we've been able to pinpoint a genetic fault in pancreatic cancers and match it up with a specific drug."

"While more research is needed to see if this approach could benefit patients, it's a crucial step forward in developing new treatments for this devastating disease which has seen no survival improvements since the 70s."

The scientists also used a new type of imaging to help them see if the drug was working early on in the treatment, which may help doctors in the future monitor if the patient is responding.Every year 8,800 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the UK. Just over three per cent of people diagnosed with the disease will survive for five years or more.

Dr Kat Arney, science communications manager at Cancer Research UK, said: "This is a promising step towards being able to understand how pancreatic tumours differ from each other and how we can personalize treatments to them. It's a challenging disease where little progress has been made and that's why Cancer Research UK is making pancreatic cancer a research priority."

"Over the next few years we plan to more than double the amount we spend on pancreatic cancer research to accelerate research into understanding the biology of this disease and change the odds for patients."

Source: Eurekalert
Font : A-A+

Advertisement

Advertisement
Advertisement

Recommended Readings

Latest Cancer News

Personalized Vaccine and T Cell Therapy for Ovarian Cancer Patients
The combination of the personalized cancer vaccine with ACT led to ovarian cancer control in few patients within a span of three months, stated study results.
Kinase-Targeted Therapy Revolutionizes Colorectal Cancer Care
Uncovering key kinases in tumor growth and invasion is crucial for improving targeted therapies in advanced-stage colorectal cancer.
Novel Photo-Oxidation Therapy Holds Promise for Anticancer Treatment
The study findings validate metal-enhanced photo-oxidation for future metal-based anticancer drugs.
Mutations in 11 Genes Linked to Aggressive Prostate Cancer
Mutations in 11 genes are linked to aggressive forms of prostate cancer, which may present novel therapeutic and therapy options.
Link Between Poor Oral Health and Head & Neck Cancer Survival Uncovered
Improved oral health, as indicated by the count of natural teeth and dental appointments preceding the diagnosis, correlated with enhanced head and neck cancer survival rates.
View All
This site uses cookies to deliver our services.By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Cookie Policy, Privacy Policy, and our Terms of Use  Ok, Got it. Close
MediBotMediBot
Greetings! How can I assist you?MediBot
×

Pancreatic Cancer Treated With 'Old' Drug in a New Way Personalised Printable Document (PDF)

Please complete this form and we'll send you a personalised information that is requested

You may use this for your own reference or forward it to your friends.

Please use the information prudently. If you are not a medical doctor please remember to consult your healthcare provider as this information is not a substitute for professional advice.

Name *

Email Address *

Country *

Areas of Interests