Targeted Therapy for Pancreatic Cancer

Home Facing Pancreatic Cancer Pancreatic Cancer Treatment Pancreatic Cancer Treatment Types Targeted Therapy for Pancreatic Cancer

Targeted therapies attack specific parts of the pancreatic cancer cell

On This Page:

What Is Targeted Therapy?

Targeted therapy is cancer treatment that uses drugs to attack unique aspects of cancer cells with little harm to healthy cells. Targeted therapies often work by binding to a particular molecule in the cancer cell, which blocks the process that changes normal cells into cancer, thereby stopping the abnormal growth behavior of a tumor.

Doctors may use targeted therapies to treat pancreatic cancer patients based on their unique biology. Since targeted therapies generally do not harm healthy cells, they usually cause fewer side effects than other treatments.

For many of these treatments, patients must have testing to see if they have mutations (changes) targeted by these treatments. This testing includes:

  • Genetic testing for an inherited mutation: testing of blood or saliva to find mutations the patient was born with, passed on from a parent
  • Biomarker testing: testing of tumor tissue to find mutations in the tumor

PanCAN Patient Services can give you free information about genetic testing and biomarker testing, including how to get these tests through the Know Your Tumor® precision medicine service.

Targeted therapy side effects are different for each treatment. Every patient will also have a different response to a treatment. Talk to the healthcare team about any treatment side effects or related concerns. Supportive care may help.

What Targeted Therapies Are Available for Pancreatic Cancer?

There are several targeted therapies approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for certain groups of pancreatic cancer patients:

BIZENGRI® (zenocutuzumab-zbco)

Granted accelerated FDA approval for patients whose tumor has an alteration called neuregulin 1 (NRG1) gene fusion whose cancer has worsened despite having gone through prior treatment. Roughly 3% of patients with pancreatic cancer have this alteration in their tumor, also referred to as NRG1 fusion-positive.

ENHERTU® (fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki)

Approved for adult patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2 positive solid tumors, who have had prior systemic treatment (like chemotherapy) and have no satisfactory alternative treatment options. HER2 expression accounts for around 2% of pancreatic cancer patients.

LUMAKRAS® (sotorasib)

Approved for patients with non-small cell lung cancer whose tumors have a KRAS G12C mutation. Although the approval is for patients with lung cancer, it’s possible that the small subset of patients with pancreatic or other cancer types whose tumors have KRAS G12C mutations may be able to access this drug through an “off-label” use.

LYNPARZA® (olaparib)

Approved as a maintenance therapy for patients with germline (inherited) BRCA-mutated metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma. It is indicated in patients whose disease has not progressed or has remained stable for at least 16 weeks on a firstline platinum-based chemotherapy regimen.

MEKINIST® (trametinib)

Approved in combination with TAFINLAR in patients who have BRAF V600E mutations. This accounts for about 2.2% of patients.

RETEVMO® (selpercatinib)

Approved for patients who have locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors with a RET fusion. These are rare and occur in 7-8% of patients with gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, including pancreatic cancer.

ROZLYTREK® (entrectinib)

Approved for the treatment of any locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors that have a neurotrophic receptor tyrosine kinase (NTRK) gene fusion. NTRK fusions are very rare in pancreatic cancer, with only about 0.5% of patients affected.

TAFINLAR® (dabrafenib)

Approved in combination with MEKINIST® in patients who have BRAF V600E mutations. This accounts for about 2.2% of patients.

VITRAKVI® (larotrectinib)

Approved for the treatment of any locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors that have a neurotrophic receptor tyrosine kinase (NTRK) gene fusion. NTRK fusions are very rare in pancreatic cancer, with only about 0.5% of patients affected.

Targeted Therapies for Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors (PNETS)

Two targeted therapy drugs are approved for the treatment of advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) that have progressed and cannot be treated with surgery:

  • SUTENT® (sunitinib)
  • AFINITOR® (everolimus)

About 7% of pancreatic tumors are neuroendocrine tumors.

Both SUTENT and AFINITOR are taken as a daily pill.

Targeted Therapy in Clinical Trials

Other targeted therapies for pancreatic cancer are still being studied in the laboratory or in clinical trials.

Clinical trials are research studies that test new investigational treatments. The goal is to find better ways to treat pancreatic cancer. Trials give patients the opportunity to receive a promising investigational drug or treatment and are the only way to make progress in treating the disease.

In clinical trials, patients usually get investigational targeted therapies along with other standard treatments like chemotherapy, radiation or surgery.

For a personalized list of targeted therapy clinical trials, contact PanCAN Patient Services.

How Can I Access Targeted Therapies for Pancreatic Cancer?

Targeted therapies are usually available in one of two ways:

Contact PanCAN Patient Services for a personalized list of clinical trials, including any trials available based on the patient’s biology. PanCAN Patient Services can also give you information about genetic and biomarker testing.

The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network strongly recommends:

  • Clinical trials at diagnosis and during every treatment decision
  • Biomarker testing of the patient’s tumor to help determine the best treatment options
  • Genetic testing as well as genetic counseling, regardless of family history

Our Know Your Tumor precision medicine service gives eligible patients free access to genetic and biomarker testing.

Patients who have already had testing identify genetic changes that may point to an approved targeted therapy can speak with their healthcare team about what options are available to them. PanCAN Patient Services can also provide more information.

We’re Here to Help

For free, in-depth and personalized resources and information on pancreatic cancer treatment, contact PanCAN Patient Services. PanCAN Patient Services can also give you more information on genetic and biomarker testing and clinical trials.

Related Topics

  • Clinical Trials

    See how clinical trials benefit patients and how to find one.


Information reviewed by PanCAN’s Scientific and Medical Advisory Board, who are experts in the field from such institutions as University of Pennsylvania, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Virginia Mason Medical Center and more.

Information provided by the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, Inc. (“PanCAN”) is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, treatment or other health care services. PanCAN may provide information to you about physicians, products, services, clinical trials or treatments related to pancreatic cancer, but PanCAN does not recommend nor endorse any particular health care resource. In addition, please note that any personal information you provide to PanCAN’s associates during telephone and/or email communications may be stored and used to help PanCAN achieve its mission of assisting patients with, and finding cures and treatments for, pancreatic cancer. Stored constituent information may be used to inform PanCAN programs and activities. Information also may be provided in aggregate or limited formats to third parties to guide future pancreatic cancer research and treatment efforts. PanCAN will not provide personal directly identifying information (such as your name or contact information) to such third parties without your prior written consent unless required or permitted by law to do so.