New approach could make pancreatic tumors more treatable
Researchers at Indiana University School of Medicine have found a new way to weaken one of the deadliest cancers—pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), which has a survival rate of just 13%.
By reducing PRDX1 levels and inhibiting Ref-1's activity, they managed to make pancreatic tumors much more vulnerable in lab and animal studies.
This could open up fresh treatment options for PDAC and other tough-to-treat cancers.
Targeting both proteins at once might help
Ref-1 keeps cancer-promoting signals active, while PRDX1 shields Ref-1 from damage.
When scientists used gene-editing tools to lower PRDX1 levels and treated the cells with a Ref-1 inhibitor, cancer cells died off faster—and mice lived longer with smaller tumors.
Targeting both proteins at once might help overcome drug resistance in aggressive cancers.
Potential breakthroughs for future treatments
While this research is still in early stages, it points toward possible breakthroughs for future treatments.
One of the drugs tested is already being studied in people, so real-world impact could come sooner than expected if trials go well.