Cancer Advisor

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains among the most treatment-resistant solid tumors. Despite decades of molecular characterization and incremental therapeutic advances, durable responses are rare, and recurrence is nearly universal. Across this landscape, a clear pattern emerges: combination therapies repeatedly outperform single-agent strategies in preclinical studies. Whether framed as targeted drug pairings, multi-agent regimens, or systems-level interventions, contemporary research consistently emphasizes that PDAC cannot be effectively controlled through single-mechanism interventions. This article examines the biological rationale for this convergence, with particular attention to cancer stem cells (CSCs) as a central driver of resistance and relapse. Pancreatic Cancer as an Adaptive System Traditional drug development assumes that disabling a dominant driver is sufficient to halt tumor progression. In PDAC, this assumption is challenged by several features: Extensiv...

Executive Summary In recent years, two seemingly distant worlds of cancer research have begun to converge in unexpected ways. On one side, mainstream oncology is increasingly focused on multi-drug combination strategies designed to block oncogenic drivers and preempt resistance. On the other, interest has grown around repurposed drug combinations — such as ivermectin, fenbendazole, and mebendazole — proposed to exert anticancer effects through metabolic and cellular stress pathways. While these approaches differ profoundly in evidentiary strength, regulatory status, and clinical readiness, they share a common conceptual foundation: cancer is an adaptive system that rarely yields to single-target intervention . Understanding where these strategies align — and where they fundamentally diverge — is essential for separating scientific insight from speculation. Diverse cancer hallmarks targeted by repurposed non-oncology drugs. This figure was created with Biorender.com. Source:  Nat...

Summary Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains one of the most lethal malignancies, with limited effective therapies and poor survival, especially in stage 4 disease. Repurposing antiparasitic agents such as fenbendazole and ivermectin has garnered interest due to their demonstrated anti-cancer properties in preclinical studies. Methods: We reviewed and synthesized 20 detailed case reports from 2022 to 2025 documenting the clinical use of fenbendazole and ivermectin, alone or in combination with standard therapies, in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. Tumor markers, imaging outcomes, and clinical responses were analyzed alongside mechanistic literature. Results: Across cases, patients exhibited marked reductions in CA19-9 tumor markers (often >70%), significant tumor shrinkage on imaging, and improved clinical status. Responses were observed even in chemotherapy-resistant and metastatic disease. Mechanistic studies support multiple anti-cancer effects of...

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most aggressive and lethal cancers worldwide. With a 5-year survival rate of only 13% (American Cancer Society, 2026 data) and dropping to 3% for metastatic disease, PDAC has seen little improvement in outcomes over the past decades. Late diagnosis, dense tumor stroma, and near-universal KRAS mutations (90-95% of cases) drive rapid resistance to standard chemotherapy. A new triple drug therapy for pancreatic cancer, detailed in a December 2025/January 2026 study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) by researchers at Spain’s National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), has delivered unprecedented preclinical results: complete tumor eradication in multiple rigorous mouse models with no detectable recurrence for over 200 days. Understanding Pancreatic Cancer and the Role of KRAS Mutations PDAC originates in the pancreatic ducts and spreads aggressively. KRAS mutations lock cells into uncontrolled growth signa...