New drug developed for pancreatic cancer

A newly developed drug shows promising results in treating pancreatic cancer, a malignancy with poor prognosis even when diagnosed early. Pancreatic cancer spreads rapidly and is the leading cause of cancer death as it is seldom detected in its early stages. According to a study presented at the American Association for Cancer Research conference, CRT0066101 no only kills the cancerous tissue but also inhibits the growth of pancreatic tumors by blocking their nourishing blood vessels. The drug acts through targeting a family of molecules known as PKD (serine/threonine kinase) which has a signaling function and is involved in cell survival and angiogenesis -- a process by which tumors form new blood vessels. Previous studies had reported that the gene is responsible for tumor growth. It had also been reported effective in treating lung cancer in animal cases. Scientists are optimistic that the drug will help treat a wider range of cancers in the near future.