Application of small interfering RNAs and drug combination for pancreatic cancer therapy.

In recent years, pancreatic cancer has become one of the major causes of death among cancers. It has been confirmed that changes in the expression of various genes are important factors associated with the occurrence and development of pancreatic cancer. Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are 21-25nt ribonucleotides that target specific DNA sequences and reduce their expression levels. An siRNA delivery system is required as a common and effective method for cancer treatment. Silencing the expression of critical genes (K-Ras, GJB4, SIX4, RARγ, etc) via siRNAs can effectively block the development of pancreatic cancer or even reverse its progression. Moreover, siRNAs can improve the efficacy of clinical chemotherapeutic drugs (doxorubicin, paclitaxel, docetaxel, gemcitabine) by reducing drug-resistance-related genes. Additionally, siRNAs are a valid approach to enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapy. This review reveals that the application of siRNAs and their combination with chemical/immunological agents may improve the treatment of pancreatic cancer.