Background: Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the most lethal diseases with an incidence rate almost equal to the rate of mortality. Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a common chronic inflammatory disease of unknown etiology that affects the pancreas. Epidemiological studies have identified CP to be a major risk factor for PC.
Summary: A greater understanding of the molecular mechanisms linking CP and PC has identified several common pathways that provide targets for future interventions. This article reviews those components in the CP-PC connection, including the role of macrophages, the maintenance of genome stability, cytokines, and other nodal factors such as nuclear factor kappa B, COX-2 and reactive oxygen species.
Key message: The molecular mechanisms that underlie CP and PC provide novel targets for future therapies for PC.
Practical implications: The stromal-desmoplastic reaction plays an important role in initiating and sustaining chronic inflammation and tumor progression. Recently, two targeted anti-tumor agents, erlotinib and nab-paclitaxel, have shown promising therapeutic efficacy. Notably, both these agents target components (EGFR and SPARC) within the inflammatory stroma surrounding malignant cells, underscoring the importance of inflammation in pancreatic carcinogenesis. Identifying the common pathways linking CP and PC may help uncover additional novel targets for future therapies.
Keywords: Chronic pancreatitis; Macrophage; Microenvironment; Pancreatic cancer; Signaling pathways.