The Tumor Microenvironment Mechanism and New Immunotherapy Strategies in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly aggressive neoplasm associated with an unfavorable clinical outcome. The immunosuppressive microenvironment and physical barriers within the tumor microenvironment (TME) are major obstacles limiting therapeutic efficacy. Therefore, targeting TME components and developing novel immunotherapies, such as CAR-T cells and mRNA vaccines, have become important research directions. This article summarized the basic principles of immunosuppression and mechanical barrier caused by three kinds of cells in TME: pancreatic cancer cells (PCC), pancreatic stellate cells (PSC), and cancer associated fibroblasts (CAF). At the same time, the specific principles of CAR-T technology and mRNA vaccine technology were introduced, as well as the principles and clinical trial results of new technologies currently used in PDAC treatment. Understanding the complex network composed of TME molecules and cells provides a foundation and ideas for researching therapeutic techniques. Meanwhile, understanding the latest developments and principles of CAR-T technology and mRNA vaccine technology can also provide new ideas for treatment. Improving existing technologies or developing new technologies based on them is a crucial step in completing PDAC treatment.