Abstract

With 1-5% 5-year survival rates (6-month median survival duration) despite medication, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), one of the deadliest human malignancies, provides an unmet therapeutic challenge. PDAC accounts for 90% of all pancreatic malignancies and is the most prevalent histological subtype. It is a very aggressive and complex malignancy that manifests with early local invasion and metastasis and is resistant to the majority of treatments, all of which are thought to be factors in its incredibly bad prognosis. PDAC is characterized by molecular changes, including as mutations of the WNT, K-RAS, TP53, Hedgehog, transforming growth factor-, and NOTCH signaling pathways (90% of cases). Given that cancer stem cells play a significant role in medication resistance, the relapse or recurrence of numerous diseases, as well as tumor start and progression. They might make good targets for potent, cutting-edge medicinal strategies. Here, we examined contemporary treatment approaches that use chemotherapeutics and targeted medicines, non-coding RNAs (siRNA and miRNAs), immunotherapy, and natural substances to target pancreatic cancer stem cells.