Issues

Frese and colleagues utilized a genetically engineered mouse model of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) to better understand the mechanistic basis for the clinical observation that nab-paclitaxedl, a water-soluble, albumin-bound form of paclitaxel, elicits synergistic antitumor activity when combined with gemcitabine, a nucleoside analogue that is the current standard of care for PDA. Combination treatment with nab-paclitaxel increases intratumoral gemcitabine levels by creating an oxidative environment within the tumor that promotes degradation of cytidine deaminase, the primary gemcitabine metabolizing enzyme. For details, please see the article by Frese and colleagues on page 260.