Cyclooxygenases in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: are they inflammatory catalysts for tumor growth
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains one of the most lethal cancers with a relative 5-year survival around 12%. One of the greatest challenges in PDAC is the frequent systemic dissemination at the time of diagnosis and the dense, fibrotic extracellular matrix that prevents chemotherapeutics and cytotoxic immune cells from entering the tumor stroma. The cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes and their downstream molecular products play important roles in cancer development and dissemination. The COX isoenzymes are overexpressed in many cancers and inhibition of the COX-2 isoform, and the use of acetylsalicylic acid has recently been demonstrated to reduce cancer recurrence after surgery in subgroups of patients with certain molecular subtypes, such as PI3K mutations, overexpression of vascular growth factors, etc.). COX-2-related pathways are involved in suppressing tumor immunity and promoting stem cell-like properties of cancer cells. Especially in PDAC, targeting the COX enzymes might be of importance in subgroups or as an adjunct as COX-2 is frequently overexpressed and associated with a worse prognosis. Selective COX-2 inhibitors have been demonstrated to reduce tumor growth, invasiveness, and metastasis formation in preclinical trials. This review evaluates existing preclinical and clinical studies investigating the potential for targeting the COX enzymes in PDAC treatment.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Continued Treatment With Tirzepatide for Maintenance of Weight Reduction in Adults With Obesity: The SURMOUNT-4 Randomized Clinical Trial
- Clinical Trial of Vadadustat in Patients with Anemia Secondary to Stage 3 or 4 Chronic Kidney Disease
- Human Leukocyte Antigen Complex and Other Immunogenetic and Clinical Factors Influence Susceptibility or Protection to SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Severity of the Disease Course. The Sardinian Experience
- Celecoxib or naproxen treatment does not benefit depressive symptoms in persons aged 70 and over: findings from a randomized controlled trial
- Comparative Clinical Effectiveness of Nonsurgical Treatment Methods in Patients With Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: A Randomized Clinical Trial
- Efficacy and safety of adalimumab by intra-articular injection for moderate to severe knee osteoarthritis: An open-label randomized controlled trial
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.