New pancreatic cancer treatment may double survival time
- Pancreatic cancer patients have a poor outlook, with a 7 per cent survival rate
- Yet, Australian scientists may have uncovered a revolutionary approach to target the tissue surrounding the tumour, making it more responsive to chemotherapy
- Tested in mice so far, they hope to trial the treatment in humans soon
Alexandra Thompson Health Reporter For Mailonline
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Pancreatic cancer has just a 7 per cent survival rate but targeting the surrounding tissue may give sufferers new hope
Pancreatic cancer is notoriously difficult to treat, with a dismal survival rate of just 7 per cent.
Yet, Australian scientists may have given sufferers new hope by doubling the survival time in mice with pancreatic tumours.
They also found that the cancer was less likely to spread to other tissues post-treatment.
The scientists targeted the tumours’ surrounding tissue to make it ‘softer,’ as well as making the cancers’ blood vessels ‘leakier’ by giving the mice a drug commonly used to treat stroke.
When combined with standard treatment, the mice were more responsive to chemotherapy.
Pancreatic tumours lie within a complex ‘nest’ of surrounding cells, blood vessels and other structures, known as the stroma.
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WHAT IS PANCREATIC CANCER?
Pancreatic cancer is caused by the abnormal and uncontrolled growth of cells in the pancreas – a large gland in the digestive system
Around half of all new cases occur in people aged 75 or older, with one in 10 being genetic
Other causes include age, smoking and other health conditions, including diabetes
It is difficult to treat as it rarely causes any symptoms in the early stages, so it’s often not detected until the cancer is fairly advanced
Symptoms to look out for include pain in the back or stomach and unexpected weight loss
Source: NHS Choices
Lead study author Dr Paul Timpson said: ‘There has been a heated and longstanding controversy in cancer research about whether targeting the stroma can make pancreatic tumours more susceptible to therapy.
‘We’ve been able to show for the first time that it’s crucial to treat the stroma first and the tumour second.’
The scientists hope to trial this approach in humans soon.
They also noted its potential in other solid cancers.
Solid tumors begin in organs or soft tissues and do not typically contain fluid or cysts. Examples include breast, prostate and lung cancer.
This comes after warnings that pancreatic cancer is set to become one of the biggest cancer killers in the next decade.
By 2026, it is predicted that 11,279 people will die every year from the disease in Britain alone – a 28 per cent increase from 2014.
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