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Defining New Paradigms for the Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer

  • Gastrointestinal Malignancies
  • Published:
Current Treatment Options in Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Opinion statement

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Despite significant improvement in understanding disease biology, the 5-year survival rates remain less than 5%. Targeted agents failed to add any meaningful survival benefit in this patient population despite very promising pre-clinical data. The new paradigm for the treatment of PC must emphasize validation of targeted agents in the appropriate pre-clinical models, identification of predictive markers for disease response, and extending range of targets into cancer stem cells and tumor microenvironment. It is also necessary to perform studies that are designed to address the various stages of disease with respect to study endpoints and application of a multimodality approach in management. Phase III trials should only be considered when a strong efficacy signal is demonstrated in phase II studies that is based on a survival endpoint. This review will focus on the development of novel treatments in pancreas cancer and the proposed design of future clinical trials.

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Disclosure

P. Philip: consultant for Bristol Myer Squibb, OSI, Bayer, Nektar Therapeutics, Sanofi-Aventis, Curis, and Roche, has grants or grants pending from Sanofi-Aventis, Pfizer, Genentech, Bristol Myer Squibb, Novartis, GlaxoSmithKlein, Genvec, Chugai, and Nektar Therapeutics, received payment for development of education presentations from Roche, Amgen, and Bayer; K. Almhanna: none.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gastrointestinal Oncolgy, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA

    Khaldoun Almhanna MD, MPH

  2. Department of Hematology and Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA

    Philip A. Philip MD, PhD

  3. 4-HWCRC, 4100 John R Street, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA

    Philip A. Philip MD, PhD

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  1. Khaldoun Almhanna MD, MPH
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Correspondence to Philip A. Philip MD, PhD.

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Almhanna, K., Philip, P.A. Defining New Paradigms for the Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer. Curr. Treat. Options in Oncol. 12, 111–125 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11864-011-0150-8

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