New Insights into Pancreatic Cancer Treatment- Review by The Babak Lab
Maria Babak, Assistant Professor at
“Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most challenging cancers to treat. This research offers new hope by targeting the tumor microenvironment, potentially leading to breakthroughs in overcoming chemoresistance.
It’s a significant step forward in understanding why some treatments fail and opens up new avenues for developing more effective therapies.
By exploring how the stiffness of the tumor environment affects chemotherapy effectiveness, it opens up new potential therapeutic strategies.
Anyone interested in cutting-edge cancer research and innovative treatment approaches should definitely check this out in the latest review by The Babak Lab.”
Quoting
“Scientific Wednesday New Insights into Pancreatic Cancer Treatment.
A recent study of Dr. Bauer LeSavage and the team published in Nature Portfolio reveals groundbreaking findings on chemoresistance in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).
Researchers used engineered matrices to mimic the stiff extracellular matrix (ECM) characteristic of PDAC tumors. Key findings include:
- Stiffness-Induced Chemoresistance
High-stiffness matrices cause patient-derived PDAC organoids to develop resistance to chemotherapy. - Mechanism
This resistance is due to increased expression of drug efflux transporters, mediated by CD44 receptor interactions with hyaluronan. - Reversibility
Transferring organoids from high- to low-stiffness matrices can reverse chemoresistance. - Potential Therapy
Targeting the fibrotic ECM could sensitize chemoresistant tumors, opening new avenues for treatment.
This study highlights the importance of the tumor microenvironment in cancer therapy and suggests novel strategies for overcoming chemoresistance in PDAC.”
Sources : Maria Babak/Linkedin and
Dr. Maria (Masha) Babak is the Head of The Babak Lab and an Assistant Professor at the City University of Hong Kong. In November 2020, she joined the City University of Hong Kong as an assistant professor. Dr. Babak received the Graeme Hanson-AsBIC Early Career Award in 2022.
Her research interests are at the intersection of chemistry, biology, and medicine, with a focus on the discovery and preclinical development of anticancer drugs for resistant and aggressive cancers with limited treatment options, such as malignant pleural mesothelioma and brain metastases.