Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3β in Pancreatic Cancer and its Implications in Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy

Abstract

Pancreatic cancer is a highly lethal disease with a poor prognosis characterized by local and systemic disease progression. Both radiation and chemotherapy play important roles in the management of this disease. However, in order to improve standard therapy many molecularly targeted agents are being developed. Glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) participates in a multitude of cellular processes and is a newly proposed therapeutic target in pancreatic cancer. This review will discuss both the oncogenic and tumor suppressor functions of GSK3β in pancreatic cancer with an emphasis on the roles of GSK3β in tumor cell survival and sensitivity to radiation and chemotherapy.