Fluvastatin, a cholesterol-lowering drug, radiosensitizes pancreatic cancer (PC) cells partly by inhibiting DNA damage response and/or autophagic flux. Fluvastatin also significantly suppresses intra-tumor radiation-induced fibrosis, as it inhibits radiation/TGF-β-induced activation of pancreatic stellate cells. Together, fluvastatin and radiation co-treatment may be a potential therapeutic approach against PC and warrants further clinical evaluation.
- Debasish Mohapatra
- Biswajit Das
- Shantibhusan Senapati