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Review
. 2021 Jun;13(9):767-782.
doi: 10.2217/imt-2020-0344. Epub 2021 Apr 29.

Immunotherapeutic approach for advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Jasmeet Kaur  1 , Tanveer Mir  2 , Randip Gill  1 , Jacky Duong  1 , Sapna Marcus  3 , Rafiullah Khan  4
Affiliations
Review

Immunotherapeutic approach for advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Jasmeet Kaur et al. Immunotherapy. 2021 Jun.

Abstract

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related death in the USA and the seventh leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Most of the patients' presentation is in advanced stages and remains resistant to currently available standard therapies. An in-depth understanding of PDAC's pathogenesis has shown that immunotherapy could bring about a revolution in the treatment response. Immunotherapy in PDAC appears promising in preclinical studies but failed to show benefits in clinical studies. These novel agents' therapeutic failure can be attributed to multiple variables including the tumor microenvironment, early metastasis, tumor heterogeneity and resistance to therapy. There is a need to develop biomarkers for the patient's stratification and provide individualized treatment to improve treatment outcomes.

Keywords: CAR T-cell therapy; immunotherapy; monoclonal antibodies; pancreatic adenocarcinoma; vaccine.

Plain language summary

Lay abstract Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related death in the USA and the seventh leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. PDAC is a lethal cancer; most patients present at advanced stages with minimal clinical response to the current standard therapies. Immunotherapy treatment in PDAC showed promising results in the preclinical studies. However, the majority of clinical studies on immunotherapy in PDAC did not show clinical benefits. There is a need for research to explore the benefits of immunotherapy in PDAC patients. The development of new treatment strategies and a patient-tailored approach might improve future outcomes.

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