Opportunities for up-to-date pancreatic cancer treatment

Pancreatic cancer (PC) remains one of the most aggressive malignant neoplasms, with a low five-year survival rate of only 13%. The main challenges in treatment are associated with asymptomatic progression in the early stages, the presence of distant metastases, and the biological characteristics of the tumor, such as a drug resistance. This article discusses current standards and prospects for the therapy of metastatic pancreatic cancer (mPC), including the use of gemcitabine, dose-dense chemotherapy (such as FOLFIRINOX and NALIRIFOX), as well as new cytostatic agents like nabpaclitaxel and liposomal irinotecan. Additionally, molecular-genetic targets, targeted therapy, and opportunities for immunotherapy considering microsatellite instability are discussed. Despite progress in developing new approaches, the overall survival of patients remains low, highlighting the need for further research and the development of more effective therapeutic strategies to improve treatment outcomes for mPC.