Dr. Patel on Limitations With Chemotherapy in Pancreatic Cancer

Reema A. Patel, MD, associate program director, Hematology & Medical Oncology Fellowship, assistant professor of medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Kentucky, discusses limitations with chemotherapy in pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is a complex and challenging disease to manage for many reasons, Patel says.

Although chemotherapies are effective treatments in many other tumor types, oftentimes, pancreatic cancer is resistant to this course of therapy, Patel explains.

As such, liposomal irinotecan (Onivyde) is an effective and commonly used second-line option for patients with pancreatic cancer, Patel says. Moreover, the therapy appears to elicit better responses compared with conventional chemotherapy.

Furthermore, genetic predispositions and tolerance levels can also prevent many patients with pancreatic cancer from receiving chemotherapy, Patel concludes.