Why some pancreatic cancers respond to KRAS-targeted drugs and others do not
Mechanisms of response and resistance to KRAS inhibition in pancreatic cancer
This project tests whether new drugs that block mutant KRAS help people with pancreatic cancer and which tumor features make treatment work or fail.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Dana-Farber Cancer Inst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11248370 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient perspective: researchers will use tumor tissue from people with pancreatic cancer to grow mini-tumors in the lab and try KRAS-targeted drugs on them. They will also study mouse models and use single-cell and genetic editing approaches to see which cancer cells survive treatment and why. The team will focus on common tumor changes like mutations in TP53, CDKN2A, and ARID1A to find patterns of response or resistance. Results are intended to point to markers that predict benefit and suggest better drug combinations.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with KRAS-mutant pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma who can provide tumor tissue and may be willing to join related clinical trials.
Not a fit: Patients without KRAS mutations or those unable to provide tumor samples or travel to participating centers are unlikely to directly benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help doctors predict who will benefit from KRAS-targeted drugs and suggest more effective combination therapies for pancreatic cancer.
How similar studies have performed: KRAS inhibitors have produced promising results in some cancers and early trials, but pancreatic tumors frequently develop resistance, so this work builds on partial prior success.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Dana-Farber Cancer Inst — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Aguirre, Andrew James — Dana-Farber Cancer Inst
- Study coordinator: Aguirre, Andrew James
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.