Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest forms of cancer. It is often detected at advanced stages, making it difficult to treat. According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer is only 10%.

However, a new technique is providing hope for pancreatic cancer patients.

What is pancreatic cancer?

Pancreatic cancer occurs when cells in the pancreas begin to multiply out of control and form a tumor. The pancreas is a gland located behind the stomach that produces enzymes to help digest food and hormones to regulate blood sugar levels.

Symptoms of pancreatic cancer may include abdominal pain, weight loss, and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes).

Current treatment options

The two main treatment options for pancreatic cancer are surgery and chemotherapy. However, surgery is only an option for about 15 to 20% of patients.

Chemotherapy can be effective, but it often causes significant side effects and may not be effective in advanced stages of the disease. Therefore, there is a desperate need for new treatment options for pancreatic cancer.

CAR-T cell therapy: Revolutionary technique

CAR-T cell therapy is a type of immunotherapy that involves modifying a patient’s T cells to attack cancer cells. T cells are a type of white blood cell that is part of the immune system.

CAR-T cell therapy involves removing T cells from a patient’s blood and genetically modifying them to produce chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) that can recognize and attack cancer cells.

The CAR-T cells are then infused back into the patient’s bloodstream, where they seek out and attack cancer cells. CAR-T cell therapy has been successful in treating certain types of leukemia and lymphoma.

Now, researchers are studying its potential use in treating pancreatic cancer.

Early success in clinical trials

Early results from clinical trials of CAR-T cell therapy for pancreatic cancer are promising. In a phase I trial, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania used CAR-T cell therapy to treat 12 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

After treatment, two of the patients had complete responses (no evidence of cancer), and three had partial responses (significant reduction in tumor size). Overall, the treatment was well-tolerated by the patients.

In another study, researchers at City of Hope National Medical Center used CAR-T cell therapy to treat 10 patients with pancreatic cancer. After treatment, five of the patients had stable disease (no tumor growth), and one had a partial response.

None of the patients experienced serious side effects from the treatment.

Challenges and future directions

Despite the early success of CAR-T cell therapy for pancreatic cancer, there are still challenges to be addressed. One challenge is to identify the optimal antigen (target) for the CAR-T cells to attack.

Researchers are currently investigating different antigens that are specific to pancreatic cancer cells.

Another challenge is to improve the safety of the treatment. In some cases, CAR-T cell therapy can cause serious side effects, such as cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and neurotoxicity.

CRS is a systemic inflammatory response that can cause high fever, low blood pressure, and organ damage. Neurotoxicity can cause confusion, seizures, and other neurological symptoms.

Researchers are currently working on ways to mitigate these side effects through the use of lower doses of CAR-T cells, the addition of certain medications, and other strategies.

Conclusion

Pancreatic cancer is a devastating disease with few effective treatment options. However, CAR-T cell therapy offers hope for patients with this deadly disease.

Early results from clinical trials are promising, and researchers are working to address the challenges associated with the treatment. With continued research and development, CAR-T cell therapy may one day become a standard of care for pancreatic cancer.