The biological underpinnings of therapeutic resistance in pancreatic cancer

Abstract

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the United States and has only recently achieved a 5-yr survival rate of 10%. This dismal prognosis reflects the remarkable capacity of PDAC to effectively adapt to and resist therapeutic intervention. In this review, we discuss recent advances in our understanding of the biological underpinnings of PDAC and their implications as targetable vulnerabilities in this highly lethal disease.