One of the doctors behind the Sandler-Kenner Foundation talks about a treatment under study.

Irving, TX, 2017 — With a survival rate of less than 10 percent at the five-year mark, pancreatic cancer is considered one of the deadliest forms of this disease known to man. With that in mind, pancreatic cancer is the focus of intense research in America and countries across the globe. A relatively new breakthrough that calls upon a not-so-new pharmaceutical may someday help improve outcomes for the thousands diagnosed with this disease each year.

“The two-step treatment repurposes an off-patent drug meant for stroke victims to help ‘soften’ or prepare pancreatic cancer tumors to be more receptive to chemotherapy,” explains Dr. Gregory Echt, one of the physicians behind the Sandler-Kenner Foundation and the founder and lead surgeon at Choice Cancer Care. “The results so far are very encouraging.”

Pancreatic cancer tumors, often diagnosed in later stages, are known to be very resistant to chemotherapy drugs and other treatments. Researchers have found, however, that using Fasudil prior to chemo can make some tumors react much more positively to drugs meant to eradicate cancer cells. A recent small-scale study focusing on this two-step approach involved mice and tissue samples from humans with pancreatic tumors. Researchers witnessed a doubling of survival time and a slowing in tumor spread following the treatment.

“While larger-scale clinical trials are necessary before this potential treatment option can move forward, the results show great promise,” says Dr. Echt. “The preliminary findings also shed light on the importance of looking at new purposes already approved medications may serve. Fasudil was developed to help stroke victims, but may turn out to be a key in helping some pancreatic cancer patients experience much more positive outcomes down the road.”

How soon clinical trials on the two-step treatment will be performed remains unclear. Researchers behind the initial study, however, are working in that direction and say Fasudil’s off-patent status makes it a promising choice to gain repurposing approval should further study support its use on pancreatic cancer tumors.

Pancreatic cancer is estimated to strike about 53,000 Americans each year. Each year, an estimated 43,000 die from the cause. The Sandler-Kenner Foundation is dedicated to raising awareness about pancreatic cancer while offering financial support to advance research.

About The Sandler-Kenner Foundation
The Sandler-Kenner Foundation, established in 2007 as the Las Colinas Cancer Center Foundation, was renamed in early 2011 in the memory of Michael Sandler and Peter Kenner, both of whom passed away from pancreatic cancer, a lethal disease that is difficult to diagnose until it has reached an advanced stage.