Early administration of Gefitinib may prevent development of pancreatic cancer.

ProteinOne of the four basic types of biomolecule. Proteins are polymers made up of strings of amino acids. Proteins serve many functions in organisms including transport of molecules, structure, cell adhesion and as signaling molecules such as hormones. Many transcription factors, including p53 and Rb are proteins. and steroid hormoneA hormone derived from the precursor steroid cholesterol. Hormones are signal molecules that cause changes in cell behavior. Hormones are often produced in very small quantities and may affect cells located in distant parts of the body. For example, the steroid hormone testosterone is made in the testes but acts on many different cell types in the body. The female sex hormone estrogen is manufactured primarily in the ovaries and also works on cells throughout the body. growth factors are a key element in the growth of many different types of cancer. For this reason, many therapies work by preventing growth factors from binding to their receptors. Gefitinib (Iressa®) is an inhibitor of the epidermal growth factorA substance that stimulates cell division. Growth factors are usually small proteins or steroid hormones. They may be secreted by the same cells on which they act or by cells that reside in a different part of the body than the target cells. Some examples of growth factors include estrogen, a growth factor for breast cells, and VEGF, a growth factor that causes the development of blood vessels. Several different anti-cancer treatments are designed to inhibit the activity of growth factors. receptor. It is currently used in the later stages of pancreatic cancer, a disease with a historically low survival rate, in part due to the fact that by the time the disease is diagnosed, the cancer has frequently spread outside of the pancreas.

Researchers at Oklahoma Cancer Center have discovered that administration of Gefitinib in the early stages of the development of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma can prevent disease progression, preventing cancer development in mouse models. The drug is expected to enter into clinical trials at the University of Oklahoma within a year.