Steve Jobs, Alan Rickman and Samantha Shubert are among three celebrities who have died from pancreatic cancer. The cancer is difficult to detect early, so treatment is only given at the last minute, which lowers the chances of survival. Scientists from Spain's National Cancer Research Center (CNIO) announced this week that they have successfully treated pancreatic cancer in laboratory mice.
The team led by Mariano Barbacid spent six years developing a three-drug therapy that completely eradicated the most aggressive pancreatic cancer tumors in mouse models. After treatment, the cancer did not recur, with no new tumors forming, with minimal side effects.
Pancreatic cancer, specifically pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), is one of the most difficult cancers to treat. It adapts quickly and usually resists treatment. The therapy developed by CNIO combines three drugs at the same time that block tumors from escaping treatment.
CNIO researchers will continue to study whether the treatment is safe for use in humans and, if approved, early clinical trials in humans will be carried out. Just because it cures cancer in mice does not mean it will work in humans.
The research paper was published in the journal PNAS.
