Inhibition of Notch signaling attenuates pancreatic cancer progression

Introduction: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the fourth most common cause of cancer death in the United States. Early diagnosis is rare and treatment options are limited. The Notch pathway has recently emerged as a candidate drug target. Notch signaling regulates the proliferation of pancreatic progenitors during embryogenesis and is reactivated in the earliest PDAC precursor lesions known as PanINs. This provides a rationale for targeting Notch signaling in these tumors using Gamma-Secretase Inhibitors (GSIs), which block Notch receptor cleavage and activation. Aims: Here, we investigated the therap…