Drug trio found to block tumour resistance in pancreatic cancer in mouse models

I keep reading about these advancements in pancreatic cancer like early detection or possible treatments, but nothing ever seems to make it to daylight. Is there a reason why there's such disparity between this?

Re: Drug trio found to block tumour resistance in pancreatic cancer in mouse models

#7

Post by ngriffiths » Thu, Jan 29, 2026, 5:51 PM UTC

reenorap wrote: post #6

I keep reading about these advancements in pancreatic cancer like early detection or possible treatments, but nothing ever seems to make it to daylight. Is there a reason why there's such disparity between this?

Because research on real humans and real diseases is exceptionally difficult. Clinical research is notoriously expensive, results are likely to differ from non-human (preclinical) models, and trials take forever to get started, gather enough data, and get a drug actually reviewed and approved. So even when everyone is excited by the preclinical data, there are so many barriers (both scientific and non-scientific) that getting to an approved drug is pretty unlikely.

Re: Drug trio found to block tumour resistance in pancreatic cancer in mouse models

#8

Post by mft_ » Thu, Jan 29, 2026, 5:53 PM UTC

reenorap wrote: post #6

I keep reading about these advancements in pancreatic cancer like early detection or possible treatments, but nothing ever seems to make it to daylight. Is there a reason why there's such disparity between this?

1. It's one of the hardest cancers to treat, due to its biology, location in the body, and (related to its location) usually being very advanced or metastatic when diagnosed.

2. Mice =/= humans, as noted.

However we're heading into a new era of treatments for some cancers including pancreatic. New agents targeting RAS/KRAS pathways will likely deliver the first meaningful treatment advances in decades.

Daraxonrasib (which was used in the linked study) is leading the charge, but there are multiple other drugs (including agents that are a little more targeted, and therefore likely slightly better tolerated, like pan-KRAS or KRAS G12D inhibitors) in development too.

Re: Drug trio found to block tumour resistance in pancreatic cancer in mouse models

#9

Post by dyauspitr » Thu, Jan 29, 2026, 5:57 PM UTC

ngriffiths wrote: post #7

reenorap wrote: post #6

I keep reading about these advancements in pancreatic cancer like early detection or possible treatments, but nothing ever seems to make it to daylight. Is there a reason why there's such disparity between this?

Because research on real humans and real diseases is exceptionally difficult. Clinical research is notoriously expensive, results are likely to differ from non-human (preclinical) models, and trials take forever to get started, gather enough data, and get a drug actually reviewed and approved. So even when everyone is excited by the preclinical data, there are so many barriers (both scientific and non-scientific) tha…

We really should be able to grow human bodies without a brain for testing purposes. It’s gruesome but realistically victimless at the end of the day.

Re: Drug trio found to block tumour resistance in pancreatic cancer in mouse models

#10

Post by ngriffiths » Thu, Jan 29, 2026, 6:01 PM UTC

dyauspitr wrote: post #9

ngriffiths wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because research on real humans and real diseases is exceptionally difficult. Clinical research is notoriously expensive, results are likely to differ from non-human (preclinical) models, and trials take forever to get started, gather enough data, and get a drug actually reviewed and approved. So even when everyone is excited by the preclinical data, there are so many barriers (both scientific and non-scientific) tha…

We really should be able to grow human bodies without a brain for testing purposes. It’s gruesome but realistically victimless at the end of the day.

I don't think the biology is there, let alone consensus on the major ethical questions involved