Inflammation and Pancreatic Cancer: A Tale of Two Cytokines

Inflammation and Pancreatic Cancer: A Tale of Two Cytokines

Pancreatic cancer is the most fatal of all gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, with only a 5.8% survival rate beyond five years after initial diagnosis. This cancer is characterized by a high mortality, rapid progression, and resistance to chemo and radiation therapy. Surgical resection is the only curative treatment for pancreatic cancer, but only less than 15% patients are eligible for surgery. The front-line treatment for metastatic pancreatic cancer has been adjuvant chemotherapy trials of gemcitabine and gemcitabine-based combinational therapy. However, over the past decade, no significant advances in efficacy of chemotherapeutic treatment have arisen, and the mean survival rate of those who have undergone such treatment has not improved.