What We Have Learned About Pancreatic Cancer from Mouse Models

Cet article passe en revue l'apport des modèles animaux à la compréhension de l'adénocarcinome canalaire du pancréas et au développement de nouvelles approches pour le diagnostic et le traitement de la maladie

Résumé en anglais

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is one of the most devastating malignancies worldwide. A total of 43,140 new cases (ranked 10th) and 36,800 deaths (ranked 4th) from pancreatic cancer were estimated to occur in the United States during 2010, with an overall 5-year survival rate of just 6%1. This dire clinical situation exists despite the recent advances in our understanding of the genetics and biology of PDA. Most patients with advanced PDA either do not respond, or respond only transiently, to systemic chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Although a few patients with PDA receive potentially curative surgery, most PDAs ultimately recur. Over the past decade, genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) of PDA have been created. We describe how these models have enabled a detailed investigation of PDA biology, including tumor development and progression, and the role of inflammation and the tumor microenvironment. We also discuss how mouse models of PDA are being used to develop new therapeutic and diagnostic approaches.