New Hope in Fight Against Pancreatic Cancer

(Ivanhoe Newswire) — The identification of a key molecule that controls the growth, spread and survival of pancreatic cancer cells is a promising step toward new and better treatments for this hard to treat and often deadly cancer, according to new research from the Mayo Clinic. Lead investigator Daniel Billadeu Ph.D., and colleagues discovered what role the GSK-3 Beta molecule plays in pancreatic cancer. They found the molecule is critical in pancreatic cancer cell growth and survival through its effect on NF Kappa B — a well-known cancer cell gene regulator. Researchers found that by decreasing or inactivating GSK-3 Beta activity, they also decreased NF Kappa B activity, which cuts off the pancreatic cells’ means of growth and survival. According to the study, the finding gives researchers a new way to target these key pancreatic cancer-promoting molecules with smaller molecules to inhibit their action. Researchers also believe the finding can lead to a method to make pancreatic cancer cells more receptive to gemcitabine, the only drug currently available for the disease. The finding also holds promise, say researchers, for the development of new strategies to help fight other types of cancer. Pancreatic cancer kills about 30,000 Americans every year, and pancreatic cancer patients have one of the poorest survival rates — with only 3 percent surviving five years after diagnosis.