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Evidence-based Anticancer Materia Medica for Pancreatic Cancer

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Materia Medica for Various Cancers

Part of the book series: Evidence-based Anticancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine ((ACAM,volume 2))

Abstract

Pancreatic cancer is a malignant neoplasm of the pancreas. Early ­detection is difficult, as patients seldom exhibit disease-specific symptoms at the early stages of pancreatic cancer, resulting in a late diagnosis. The majority of pancreatic cancers are, upon diagnosis, advanced and unresectable. Pancreatic cancer has the lowest survival rate amongst all malignancies, with a 5-year survival rate of less than 5%. The current treatment for pancreatic cancer is very limited and ineffective. Palliative chemotherapy is usually administered in an attempt to prolong survivability and to improve the quality of life. Gemcitabine and a combination of gemcitabine and erlotinib are the only FDA approved standard therapies for unresectable pancreatic cancer. Several gemcitabine-based combination therapies have been studied for the treatment of pancreatic cancer, none of which have shown any significant benefit over gemcitabine monotherapy. There is no established second-line treatment. In an effort to improve the efficacy and reduce the side-effects of chemotherapy, targeted therapy has become one of the main approaches. Erlotinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is the only FDA approved targeted therapy when used with gemcitabine for advanced pancreatic cancer with a limited increase in survival. Herbal medicine has been commonly used by cancer patients in Asia to ameliorate the disease. Several clinical studies have shown PHY906, an herbal formulation that has been used for centuries to treat gastrointestinal ailments, to have high potential in treating advanced stages of various cancers. PHY906 is an example of a ­polychemical that affects not just one, but many targets. This multi-pronged approach brings a new horizon for cancer therapy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. PhytoCeutica Inc, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA

    Shwu-Huey Liu

  2. Department of Hem-Onc and Section of GI Cancers, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons & New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, 10032, USA

    M. Wasif Saif

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  1. Shwu-Huey Liu
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  2. M. Wasif Saif
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Correspondence to M. Wasif Saif .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Department of Clinical Oncology, Room 1305, 13/F, Block R, Gascoigne Road 30, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China, People's Republic

    William C.S. Cho

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Liu, SH., Saif, M.W. (2012). Evidence-based Anticancer Materia Medica for Pancreatic Cancer. In: Cho, W. (eds) Materia Medica for Various Cancers. Evidence-based Anticancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol 2. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1983-5_11

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