Revolutionizing Pancreatic Cancer Care: The Promise of Targeted Therapy
Did you know there’s a cancer treatment that targets proteins to control how cancer cells grow, divide, and spread?
This treatment, called targeted therapy, focuses on the genetic changes or mutations that turn healthy cells into cancer cells. It is not limited to one type of cancer; it can be used to treat various cancers, including lung and breast cancers. However, today we will focus on targeted therapy for pancreatic cancer.
Researchers have identified specific changes in pancreatic cancer cells that help them grow. They have developed new drugs to target these changes, which have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Use of Targeted Therapy for Pancreatic Cancer
BRAF Inhibitor: When the BRAF gene changes, it can lead to abnormal cell growth and cancer. Two drugs, Dabrafenib (Tafinlar) and Trametinib (Mekinist) are often given together to treat people with BRAF mutations. These drugs are for patients whose cancer cannot be removed by surgery or has spread to other parts of the body.
NTRK Inhibitor: Changes in the NTRK gene can also lead to abnormal cell growth. Larotectinib (Vitrakvi) and Entrectinib (Rozyltrek) are single-agent treatments for people with advanced tumors. Though this condition is rare, these drugs provide hope for patients with such tumors.
EGFR Inhibitor: EGFR is a protein on cancer cells that usually helps them grow. For people with advanced pancreatic cancer, EGFR inhibitors are often combined with the chemotherapy drug Gemcitabne (Gemzar). However, this combination is not commonly used for pancreatic cancer since only a small group of patients benefited in clinical trials.
PARP Inhibitor: The PARP gene helps repair damaged DNA inside cells. When it changes, damage can build up, leading to cell death. Olaparib (Lynparza) is used to inhibit PARP, aiming to extend the time a patient’s cancer does not progress after chemotherapy.
Future Directions
Many treatments for targeted therapy are still in ongoing clinical trials. The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network encourages patients with pancreatic cancer to participate in clinical research to achieve better outcomes. They recommend considering clinical trials at diagnosis and during every treatment decision. These trials mainly aim to answer questions about the safety, benefits and side effects of new treatments.
Centers like Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center are also actively researching new pancreatic cancer treatments. They have stated that these studies show promise for developing effective treatments for advanced pancreatic cancer.
Participating in clinical trials is important to advance our understanding and treatment of pancreatic cancer. If you or a loved one is facing this diagnosis, consider exploring clinical trial options to contribute to this vital research and potentially benefit from cutting-edge therapies.
Let us all support targeted therapy advancements and appreciate the researchers behind those projects to bring hope and improved outcomes to those battling pancreatic cancer.
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