An advancement towards the curability of pancreatic cancer has been discovered.Dr. Mariano Barbacid and his team of researchers from the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (NCRC) have found pancreatic cancer to be curable in mice.As for what this means for humans, it's not a cure, and only is relevant for the most common type of pancreatic cancer found in approximately 90% of cases.However, scientists are one step closer to solving this type pancreatic cancer in humans, one of the most aggressive cancers — for which, when diagnosed, approximately 8% of people survive more than five years..Simon Maechling, a chemist who works at Bayer, a life sciences company, wrote on X, "Cancer is cured in mice all the time.""Thousands of times ~90% of those 'cures' fail in humans. Why?""Because mice are: genetically simpler. Treated earlier. Short-lived. Not humans.""Mice are a filter — not a finish line.""Yes, this study matters. It comes from the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre."."Yes, it’s pancreatic cancer — one of the deadliest there is.""Yes, full tumor regression is impressive. But here’s what it actually means: 'This approach is now good enough to risk years, trials, and millions of euros on.' Not: 'Cancer is solved,'" Maechling explained.Reported by the Business Standard, the study, which was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, showed researchers used a carefully designed triple-drug therapy which made tumours vanish in mice.The drug attacked the KRAS oncogene pathway, responsible for over 90% of pancreatic cancers, without severe toxicity. KRAS is a gene that constantly sends signals telling cancer cells to grow and divide..According to a Salk Institute for Biological Sciences report, the reason pancreatic cancers is one of the deadliest cancers boils down to a few reasons. Pancreatic cancer is usually detected late and spreads aggressively.One of its biggest issue: pancreatic tumors usually build a shell around themselves; the shield thwarts the immune system, chemotherapy and other treatments.
