Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) occurs mainly in people older than 50 years of
age. Although great strides have been taken in treating PDAC over the past decades its
incidence nearly equals its mortality rate and it was quoted as the 4th leading cause of
cancer deaths in the US in 2012. This review aims to focus on research models and
scientific developments that help to explain the extraordinary resistance of PDAC towards
current therapeutic regimens. Furthermore, it highlights the main features of drug resistance …

The desmoplastic reaction is a prominent pathological characteristic of pancreatic cancer.
Desmoplasia is marked by a dramatic increase in the proliferation of alpha-smooth muscle
actin-positive fibroblasts and is also accompanied by increased deposition of many
extracellular matrix components. Changes in stromal cell proliferation and the deposition of
extracellular matrix components result in dramatic changes in overall tissue heterogeneity
and elasticity, as well as accompanying interstitial fluid pressure. These changes have been …