New Radiotherapy Shows Promise in Combating Deadly Pancreatic Cancer
Berlin – A small, early-stage study is offering a glimmer of hope for patients battling ductal adenocarcinoma, teh most common and aggressive form of pancreatic cancer, which currently has a five-year survival rate of less than 5%. Researchers report that a novel radiopharmaceutical therapy, 177Lu-3BP-227, targeting the neurotensin receptor 1 (NTR1) protein, demonstrated feasibility and improved quality of life in a limited group of patients with advanced disease.
The study, published in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine, focused on six patients with metastatic ductal pancreatic adenocarcinoma who had weary all othre treatment options.Patients received treatment with 177Lu-3BP-227, a radiopharmaceutical designed to bind to NTR1, a protein frequently overexpressed in pancreatic cancer cells.
Remarkably, one patient survived 13 months after diagnosis and 11 months following the start of 177Lu-3BP-227 therapy, experiencing a notable advancement in symptoms. The therapy was well-tolerated by all participants, with the most important side effect being reversible grade 2 anemia.
“This research justifies the growth of 177Lu-3BP-227 therapy, in order to provide patients with a more effective treatment with fewer side effects than cytotoxic chemotherapy,” stated Christiane Smerling, head of nuclear medicine and imaging at 3B Pharmaceuticals GmbH in Berlin and a co-author of the study. “By exploiting a hitherto under-explored receptor, these results broaden the field of application of nuclear medicine for the treatment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Other diseases expressing neurotensin receptors,such as Ewing’s sarcoma,could also be treated.”
Pancreatic cancer diagnoses are on the rise in France, with approximately 10,000 new cases reported annually, though the underlying causes remain unclear. Risk factors include tobacco use, alcohol consumption, obesity, and genetics. Given the difficulty of prevention, the development of new treatments like 177Lu-3BP-227 is crucial. This early clinical evidence suggests a potential new avenue for treating this devastating disease and slowing tumor progression.
