Latest developments in chemotherapy for metastatic pancreatic cancer

Abstract Pancreatic cancer remains a challenging and lethal malignancy with an increasing rate of incidence worldwide. The disease is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage owing to its aggressive nature and rapid progression. The approach toward treating metastatic pancreatic cancer involves chemotherapy. This chapter reviews agents currently used as combined or single-agent therapy. Despite advances and breakthroughs in other solid-organ malignancies, pancreatic cancer continues to behave as a refractory and generally unresponsive malignancy. The chapter discusses the pathological origins and diagnostic challenges of pancreatic cancer, providing profound insight into the nature of the disease and its management. Pathological mechanisms that contribute to the refractoriness of pancreatic cancer are described to help readers understand the basis for developing targeted therapy. The final section of the chapter describes emerging therapies currently under way and future hurdles faced in breaking the unresponsiveness of pancreatic cancer.