Blocking Collagen Signaling Boosts Drug Delivery in Pancreatic Cancer

Blocking collagen signaling boosts drug delivery in pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest malignancies, with survival rates remaining dismally low despite major advances in oncology. One of the key reasons lies in the disease's unique fibrotic microenvironment—a dense, collagen-rich tissue that acts as a physical and biochemical barrier, preventing drugs from reaching tumor cells effectively.

Pancreatic Cancer Drug Treatments Improved by Targeting Collagen Signaling

Researchers in Japan at Okayama University and Tohoku University have found a way to improve drug delivery for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) by targeting collagen signaling rather than collagen’s physical structure alone. Their method, published in the journal Small, shows that inhibiting discoidin domain receptor 1 (DDR1), a collagen-activated receptor that helps fuels fibrosis, reduces collagen I production and increases the permeabi…