Published online Apr 21, 2019. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v25.i15.1797
Peer-review started: February 6, 2019
First decision: March 5, 2019
Revised: March 20, 2019
Accepted: March 24, 2019
Article in press: March 25, 2019
Published online: April 21, 2019
Core tip: The identification of signaling networks that underlie risk factor promoted pancreatic cancer development and progression is of paramount importance to prevent or intercept this lethal disease. Accumulating evidence suggests that several core signaling pathways downstream of oncogenic Kras, augmented by environmental conditions, e.g., obesity, converge on Yes-associated protein (YAP) and WW-domain-containing transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ), transcriptional co-activators in the Hippo pathway. Statins and metformin, widely used Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs, show great promise to intercept this disease by disrupting or inhibiting this amplifying network at multiple points converging onto YAP/TAZ.