A promising new drug for pancreatic cancer could double survival rates and cut the risk of death by more than a third, bringing hope to thousands of patients worldwide.
Pancreatic cancer has one of the lowest survival rates of all cancers, with only about 10% of patients living more than a year after diagnosis.
Researchers from Northwestern University in Illinois, USA, have developed a new drug called elraglusib, which has shown encouraging results in a clinical trial when combined with standard chemotherapy.
The study, published in the journal Nature Medicine, included 233 patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer – that is, when the disease has spread to other parts of the body – from North America and Europe.
Participants were randomly divided into two groups: one received chemotherapy alone, while the other received the combination of chemotherapy with elraglusib.
The results showed that patients who received the new drug were twice as likely to be alive after a year, compared to those treated with chemotherapy alone.
On average, patients who used elraglusib lived 10.1 months, compared to 7.2 months for those on standard treatment. The overall risk of death was also reduced by 38%.
About 44% of patients who received the drug were still alive after a year, compared with 22% in the other group. After two years, 13% of patients on elraglusib survived, while none of those who received chemotherapy alone lived that long.
Study leader Dr. Devalingam Mahalingam said that while pancreatic cancer remains one of the most difficult tumors to treat, these results provide cautious optimism. He stressed that the findings need to be confirmed in phase 3 studies, but the survival benefit is a very encouraging sign.
Side effects were similar to those of chemotherapy, although slightly more common in patients who received the new drug. These included low white blood cells, fatigue and temporary vision changes – all reversible.
Pancreatic cancer usually develops silently, without clear warning signs, and is often only discovered after it has spread, making treatment very difficult.
Although almost half of cases occur in people over 75, there is growing evidence that cases are also increasing in younger people – especially women. The most aggressive form, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, is contributing significantly to this increase.
Experts suggest this may be partly due to better diagnostics, but also to modern lifestyles. Smoking, obesity, alcohol consumption and poor diet increase the risk, promoting chronic inflammation and impairing pancreatic function.
Scientists are also studying whether new trends, such as the use of weight loss injections or nicotine products like snus, may affect pancreatic health, although the evidence is still being reviewed.
The pancreas — a small gland located deep behind the stomach — plays a key role in digestion and blood sugar control. But because of its location, tumors can develop for months or years without any noticeable symptoms.
When signs such as weight loss, abdominal pain, or jaundice appear, the disease has often already spread.
Researchers believe that elraglusib may also have potential for treating other types of tumors.
Family members of study participants said that being involved in the trial gave their loved ones a sense of hope and purpose. For many of them, the experience not only extended their lives, but also improved their quality of life.
These findings are expected to bring new hope to patients with pancreatic cancer - one of the leading causes of cancer deaths, with thousands of new cases each year. /GazetaExpress/
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