Title:Pancreatic Cancer Therapy Review: From Classic Therapeutic Agents to Modern Nanotechnologies
VOLUME: 18 ISSUE: 4
Author(s):Ana Rebelo, Jesus Molpeceres, Patrícia Rijo and Catarina Pinto Reis
Affiliation:CBIOS, Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisboa, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Alcalá, Ctra. A2km 33,600 Campus Universitario, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, iMed.ULisboa - Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, CBIOS - Research Center for Biosciences & Health Technologies, Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, Campo Grande, 376, 1749-024 Lisboa
Keywords:Pancreatic cancer, nanoparticles, targeted therapy, polymers, drug delivery, signaling pathways.
Abstract:Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most lethal cancers worldwide, with an extremely poor prognosis. This
cancer is considered the 5th leading cause of cancer related death. The median survival after diagnosis is generally 2-8
months and five-year survival rate is less than 5%. In recent years, nanotechnology is emerging as a rising approach for
drug delivery since it has opened up new landscapes in medicine through introduction of smart nanocarrier systems
that can selectively deliver the therapeutic agent in a specific region and in appropriate levels, reducing the adverse
side effects. This review covers the main delivery systems developed so far for anticancer drug delivery to the pancreas
over a period of 20 years, from polymeric to lipidic-based nanosystems, with a particular emphasis on albumin as core
material.
