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Review
. 2018 Nov 26;10(11):172-182.
doi: 10.4252/wjsc.v10.i11.172.

Pancreatic cancer stem cells: Perspectives on potential therapeutic approaches of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Claudia Di Carlo  1 , Jessica Brandi  2 , Daniela Cecconi  1
Affiliations
Review

Pancreatic cancer stem cells: Perspectives on potential therapeutic approaches of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Claudia Di Carlo et al. World J Stem Cells. .

Abstract

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is one of the most aggressive solid tumours of the pancreas, characterised by a five-year survival rate less than 8%. Recent reports that pancreatic cancer stem cells (PCSCs) contribute to the tumorigenesis, progression, and chemoresistance of pancreatic cancer have prompted the investigation of new therapeutic approaches able to directly target PCSCs. In the present paper the non-cancer related drugs that have been proposed to target CSCs that could potentially combat pancreatic cancer are reviewed and evaluated. The role of some pathways and deregulated proteins in PCSCs as new therapeutic targets are also discussed with a focus on selected specific inhibitors. Finally, advances in the development of nanoparticles for targeting PCSCs and site-specific drug delivery are highlighted, and their limitations considered.

Keywords: Pancreas; Pancreatic cancer; Pancreatic cancer stem cells; Therapeutic approaches; Treatment.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict-of-interest statement: No potential conflicts of interest. No financial support.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Mechanism of action of different non-cancer related drugs against pancreatic cancer stem cells. EMT: Epithelial mesenchymal transition; ALDH1: Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1; NF-κB: Nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells; mTOR: Mammalian target of rapamycin; PI3K: Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; Akt: Protein kinase B; OXPHOS: Oxidative phosphorylation.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The types of nanoparticles. A: Different types of nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery; B: Specific nanoparticles for targeting pancreatic cancer stem cells. PCSCs: Pancreatic cancer stem cells.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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