Triple-Drug Combo Breaks Pancreatic Cancer’s Defence

email: online@newsofbahrain.com

Madrid: Spanish scientists have reported that an experimental combination of three drugs successfully eliminated pancreatic cancer tumours in laboratory mice, marking what researchers describe as a significant advance in cancer research, while stressing that the treatment has not yet been tested in humans.

The study, led by renowned Spanish biochemist Mariano Barbacid at Spain’s National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), was published on January 27 in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) following nearly six years of laboratory work. The findings have drawn global attention and were widely reported by international media.

Pancreatic cancer is among the deadliest forms of cancer worldwide, largely due to late diagnosis and strong resistance to existing treatments. Medical data show that fewer than one in ten patients survive five years after being diagnosed.

According to reports, the Spanish research team tested the therapy on mice with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, the most common and aggressive form of the disease. The treatment combined three drugs: gemcitabine, all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and neratinib.

Researchers found that tumours in the treated mice completely disappeared. Notably, the cancer did not return even after treatment was stopped – a rare outcome in pancreatic cancer models.

The study also reported low toxicity levels, with the animals tolerating the treatment well. Low toxicity is a critical factor when determining whether a therapy can safely progress to human trials.

Barbacid has long argued that pancreatic cancer cannot be effectively treated with a single drug because of its ability to adapt and activate alternative survival pathways.

The three-drug strategy was designed to block multiple mechanisms at once. Gemcitabine targets rapidly dividing cancer cells, ATRA weakens the dense protective tissue surrounding pancreatic tumours, and neratinib blocks signals that promote tumour growth.

By attacking the cancer on several fronts simultaneously, the researchers said the therapy prevented tumour cells from adapting and escaping treatment.

The study focused on cancers driven by mutations in the KRAS gene, which is present in more than 90 per cent of pancreatic cancer cases and has historically been difficult to target. KRAS regulates cell growth, division and survival, making it a key driver of the disease.

Despite the promising results, experts have cautioned against describing the findings as a cure for pancreatic cancer in humans. Success in animal models does not always translate to similar outcomes in people, whose cancers are more biologically complex.

CNIO said the next phase of the research will involve further validation and safety testing. If approved by regulators, early-stage human clinical trials could follow.