Prime Highlights:
- Researchers in Spain found that a new triple therapy can eliminate pancreatic tumours in mice and prevent them from coming back.
- The therapy targets three points in the KRAS gene pathway at once, showing long-lasting tumour regression without major side effects.
Key Facts:
- Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive cancers, with a five-year survival rate below 10% in Spain.
- Clinical trials in humans have not started yet; further research is needed to ensure the therapy is safe and effective.
Background:
Researchers in Spain have made an important breakthrough in the fight against pancreatic cancer. They found that a new triple therapy can remove tumours in mice and prevent them from coming back. Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive cancers, with few treatment options and a low survival rate.
The study, carried out by the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), showed that blocking three key points in the KRAS gene pathway at the same time can shrink tumours and keep them from returning in animal tests. By combining an experimental KRAS inhibitor with a drug already approved for lung cancer and a protein-degrading agent, the researchers were able to completely remove tumours without causing significant side effects.
“These findings open the possibility of designing new combination therapies that could improve survival for patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma,” the study authors said. They added that the results could guide the development of future clinical trials, offering new hope for one of the deadliest cancers.
In Spain alone, more than 10,300 cases of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma are diagnosed each year, and the five-year survival rate remains below 10 percent. The key to this breakthrough lies in overcoming the resistance that develops when the KRAS oncogene is blocked at a single point. By targeting multiple points at the same time, the therapy was much more effective at stopping tumour growth and preventing it from coming back.
The study, published in PNAS, offers hope for better pancreatic cancer treatments in the future.
