Nanovector-based therapies in advanced pancreatic cancer

Systemic therapy for advanced pancreatic cancer has been largely disappointing owing to the unfavorable pharmacokinetic profile and poor penetration of current chemotherapeutic agents ,as well as the fragile patient population with compromised tolerance to toxic chemotherapies. Nanovectors can provide passive drug delivery through abnormal tumor neo-vasculature microanatomy or active targeting via binding to receptors or macromolecules associated with the tumor. In such a manner, nanovector-based therapy may not only modulate the pharmacokinetics and therapeutic index of chemotherapeutic agents but also provide new treatment options in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. In this article, we present the rationale and currently available clinical results of nanovector-based therapies to highlight the potential use of this class of agent in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.