Enhancing nanomedicine efficacy in KPC pancreatic tumors through ketotifen-mediated tumor microenvironment remodeling.

Summary: Pancreatic cancer is very hard to treat because the tumors build a tough, stiff shield around themselves. This shield blocks medicines from getting inside and working properly. Scientists tested an allergy medicine called ketotifen to see if it could help. They found that ketotifen softens the tumor's shield and opens up its blood vessels. This allowed tiny cancer drugs (called nanomedicines) to easily enter the tumor. In tests with mice, combining the allergy medicine with the cancer drugs worked much better to shrink tumors and help the mice live longer. It also helped the immune system fight the cancer.