Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a ravaging disease with a poor prognosis, requiring a more detailed understanding of its biology to foster the development of effective therapies. The unsatisfactory results of treatments targeting cell proliferation and its related mechanisms suggest a shift in focus towards the inflammatory tumor microenvironment (TME). Here, we discuss the role of cancer-secreted proteins in the complex TME tumor-stroma crosstalk, shedding lights on druggable molecular targets for the development of innovative, safer and more efficient therapeutic strategies.
Keywords: cell signaling; monoclonal antibodies; pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma; secretome; small molecules; tumor microenvironment.