Precision Oncology in Surgery: Patient Selection for Operable Pancreatic Cancer.

Objective: We aimed to define preoperative clinical and molecular characteristics that would allow better patient selection for operative resection.

Background: Although we use molecular selection methods for systemic targeted therapies, these principles are not applied to surgical oncology. Improving patient selection is of vital importance for the operative treatment of pancreatic cancer (pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma).

Targeting inflammation in pancreatic cancer: Clinical translation.

Preclinical modelling studies are beginning to aid development of therapies targeted against key regulators of pancreatic cancer progression. Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive, stromally-rich tumor, from which few people survive. Within the tumor microenvironment cellular and extracellular components exist, shielding tumor cells from immune cell clearance, and chemotherapy, enhancing progression of the disease.

Targeting the LOX/hypoxia axis reverses many of the features that make pancreatic cancer deadly: inhibition of LOX abrogates metastasis and enhances drug efficacy.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality. Despite significant advances made in the treatment of other cancers, current chemotherapies offer little survival benefit in this disease. Pancreaticoduodenectomy offers patients the possibility of a cure, but most will die of recurrent or metastatic disease.