Figure 5.

VDR activation and PDP modulate the tumor microenvironment for effective low-dose chemotherapy

Pancreatic cancer is often detected at a late stage, after activation of fibroblasts and significant desmoplasia. This protumorigenic microenvironment is immunosuppressive, imparts chemo and radioresistance, and promotes disease progression and metastasis. Standard chemotherapy regimens do not address this altered microenvironment, requiring high chemotherapy doses and subsequent toxicity while providing limited non-sustained benefit. Photodynamic and biochemical reprogramming of the tumor stroma results in a disease state that is more susceptible to chemotherapy, allowing lower doses, while maintaining significant and lasting treatment response.