AUTHOR=Iriana Sentia , Ahmed Shahzad , Gong Jun , Annamalai Alagappan Anand , Tuli Richard , Hendifar Andrew Eugene 

TITLE=Targeting mTOR in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Oncology

VOLUME=6

YEAR=2016

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2016.00099

DOI=10.3389/fonc.2016.00099

ISSN=2234-943X

ABSTRACT=<p>Treatment options for advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) are limited; however, new therapies targeting specific tumor-related molecular characteristics may help certain patient cohorts. Emerging preclinical data have shown that inhibition of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) in specific KRAS-dependent PDAC subtypes leads to inhibition of tumorigenesis <italic>in vitro</italic> and <italic>in vivo</italic>. Early phase II studies of mono-mTOR inhibition have not shown promise. However, studies have shown that combined inhibition of multiple steps along the mTOR signaling pathway may lead to sustained responses by targeting mechanisms of tumor resistance. Coordinated inhibition of mTOR along with specific KRAS-dependent mutations in molecularly defined PDAC subpopulations may offer a viable alternative for treatment in the future.</p>