New Combination Treatment Shows Promise Against Pancreatic Cancer

Researchers at UC San Francisco have identified a potential new treatment for pancreatic cancer by combining a high-fat ketogenic diet with a cancer drug known as eFT508. This approach targets the eukaryotic translation initiation factor (eIF4E), which is crucial for fat metabolism; when inhibited, pancreatic tumors in mice ceased to grow. The study highlights a 'vulnerability' in pancreatic cancer cells that rely on fat for energy, suggesting a novel diet-based therapy alongside existing treatments. However, experts, including Pancreatic Cancer UK, caution that this is early-stage research and the drug has not yet been tested in humans. The findings were published in the journal Nature, emphasizing the need for further investigation into the implications for human patients. Overall, this research opens a dialogue about the role of diet in cancer treatment.