Immunotherapy in Pancreatic Cancer

Abstract

Pancreatic cancer has a dismal prognosis and is projected to be the second most common cause of cancer-related mortality by 2030. Although modest improvement in survival with current conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy-based regimens, 5-year overall survival is still 9%. Despite becoming standard of care in several malignancies, single agent or dual check point inhibitor therapy is not effective in pancreatic cancer except in subgroup of patients with high microsatellite instability or high tumor mutational burden. Profoundly immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment of pancreatic cancer is a major barrier for success of immunotherapy. Rigorous research efforts are underway to explore immune-based combination therapy with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, stroma-modifying agents, vaccines, and targeted therapies. This article aims to provide a review of the ongoing research in pancreatic cancer immunotherapy.

Keywords

pancreatic cancer - immunotherapy - tumor microenvironment

Publikationsverlauf

Eingereicht: 14. Juli 2020

Angenommen: 19. August 2020

Artikel online veröffentlicht:
16. November 2020

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