Recent Advancements in Diagnosis and Targeted Therapy of Pancreatic Cancer

Introduction:: Pancreatic Cancer (PC) is an exceptionally belligerent and lethal malignancy owing to failure in prognosis and limited existing therapies. Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) mostly originates from ductal cells, with a survival rate of less than 5 years. This cancer is predominantly caused by genetic abnormalities in the exocrine pancreas, such as KRAS and p53, which contribute to tumor growth and progression. Objective:: Our previously published article on PC taught us that there is an utmost need to identify novel biomarkers for diagnosis and targeted therapy approaches to improve survival rates in patients. Conventional radiotherapy and nanotechnology-based approaches show limited success compared to targeted therapy. Method:: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Bentham Science, Google Scholar, ACS Journals, and Taylor and Francis journals and Web of Science databases using keywords related to Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC), biomarkers, and targeted therapies. Articles published in English over the past two decades were screened, and studies focusing on novel biomarkers and therapeutic strategies were included for this review. Results:: Recent innovations in PDAC treatment include novel biomarkers (genetic markers, proteomic biomarkers, metabolism-related biomarkers, epigenetic markers, liquid biopsy, Pancreatic Cancer Stem Cell (PSCC) biomarkers, circulating biomarkers, and tissue biomarkers) that facilitate early diagnosis and thus minimize mortality rates. The current review highlighted the utmost need for novel targeted approaches (targeting DNA repairing and Microsatellite instability, targeting epigenetic alteration, targeting key Signaling pathways, targeting the stroma, Fibrosis, and extracellular matrix, and drug conjugate inhibitors) that enhance the specificity and efficacy against cancer cells, reduce the injury to healthy tissue, and improve survival rates. Discussion:: Targeted therapy also focuses on the specific molecular characteristics of cancer cells, providing a possible alternative to traditional therapies. Conclusion:: To summarize, the shifting landscape of cancer treatment, particularly for PC, requires further study of targeted innovative combination therapies to improve patient survival while addressing the major limitations of traditional treatments. Several such products are in clinical trials, which have benefited patients with new hope suffering from PDAC.