Therapy of pancreatic cancer via an EphA2 receptor-targeted delivery of gemcitabine.

ABSTRACT: First line treatment for pancreatic cancer consists of surgical resection, if possible, and a subsequent course of chemotherapy using the nucleoside analogue gemcitabine. In some patients, an active transport mechanism allows gemcitabine to enter efficiently into the tumor cells, resulting in a significant clinical benefit. However, in most patients, low expression of gemcitabine transporters limits the efficacy of the drug to marginal levels, and patients need frequent administration of the drug at high doses, significantly increasing systemic drug toxicity. In this article we focus on a novel targeted delivery approach for gemcitabine consisting of conjugating the drug with an EphA2 targeting agent. We show that the EphA2 receptor is highly expressed in pancreatic cancers, and accordingl

SUBMITTER: Quinn BA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4941374 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature