Pancreatic Cancer News and Research

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Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of all cancer deaths in the United States and the third leading cause of cancer deaths in individuals ages 40 to 60. Approximately 37,000 Americans are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year, and, each year, approximately the same number die from it. Often, pancreatic cancer is found too late for surgical intervention, and chemotherapy and radiation treatments have little effect.

Drugs that target cholesterol pathway may enhance cancer-killing potential of chemotherapy drugs

Johns Hopkins investigators are testing a way to use drugs that target a cholesterol pathway to enhance the cancer-killing potential of standard chemotherapy drugs. Their tests, in mouse models of pancreatic cancer, may yield new and more effective combinations of current and possibly new anti-cancer drugs.

4 Apr 2012

First study to evaluate treatment based on molecular profiling of advanced pancreatic cancer

The feasibility of selecting treatment based on individual molecular characteristics was demonstrated in a first-of-its kind pancreatic cancer clinical trial reported today by the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) and the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare.

4 Apr 2012

Gamma-linoleic acid can inhibit growth of pancreatic cancer cells

The dietary supplement gamma-linoleic acid can inhibit the growth of a subset of pancreatic cancer cells and selectively promote cancer cell death in mice, a Mayo Clinic study has found.

4 Apr 2012

Combination of gemcitabine and TH-302 improves survival in advanced pancreatic cancer

The combination of the novel drug TH-302 with the standard drug gemcitabine has shown early signs of delaying the worsening of cancer in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, a Mayo Clinic-led study has found.

4 Apr 2012

Genomic fortune-telling fails to provide informative guidance to most people

With sharp declines in the cost of whole genome sequencing, the day of accurately deciphering disease risk based on an individual's genome may seem at hand. But a study involving data of thousands of identical twins by Johns Hopkins investigators finds that genomic fortune-telling fails to provide informative guidance to most people about their risk for most common diseases, and warns against complacency born of negative genome test results.

3 Apr 2012

Regular walking regimen can benefit cancer survivors

Researchers have affirmed that pancreatic cancer patients can literally take a step-by-step approach to combat fatigue. A study published in the April issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons reports that patients who underwent an operation as part of their cancer treatment and then started a regular walking regimen experienced less fatigue than cancer survivors who did not do the walking program.

2 Apr 2012

Safe method for destroying cancer cells using death cap mushroom poison

The mere thought of an identification error sends a chill down the spine of any mushroom lover: The death cap mushroom (Amanita phalloides), which resembles the common white button mushroom, contains one of the most deadly poisons found in nature, α-amanitin.

2 Apr 2012

AngioDynamics presents NanoKnife System clinical study results at SSO 2012

AngioDynamics, a leading provider of innovative, minimally invasive medical devices for vascular access, surgery, peripheral vascular disease and oncology, announced presentations on NanoKnife System clinical experience were given at the Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO) 2012 conference that took place March 21-24, 2012, in Orlando, Fla.

2 Apr 2012

Survivin protein could be a useful tool in understanding pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer kills more than 40,000 people every year, and among cancers it's particularly insidious. For 80 percent of patients, the disease is already so advanced at the time of diagnosis that treatment is unlikely to provide significantly life-extending benefits. For patients diagnosed with localized pancreatic cancer, the five-year survival rate remains barely above 20 percent, according to the National Cancer Institute.

2 Apr 2012

Home walking program can improve QOL, fatigue levels in post-surgery pancreatic cancer patients

Participation in a home walking program can lead to a significant improvement in quality of life, fatigue levels and physical functioning of post-surgery pancreatic cancer patients, according to findings from a randomized, controlled study by researchers at Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson School of Nursing - set to appear in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons on April 1.

31 Mar 2012

CINJ experts available for discussion on cancer

April marks National Cancer Control Month, which focuses on the importance of prevention, treatment and research in the fight against cancer.

30 Mar 2012

Study identifies key mechanism behind breast cancer metastasis

A new study has identified a key mechanism that causes breast cancer to spread. The research, published by Cell Press on March 30th in the journal Molecular Cell, enhances our knowledge about the signals that drive cancer metastasis and identifies new therapeutic targets for a lethal form of invasive breast cancer that is notoriously resistant to treatment.

30 Mar 2012

Cancer death rates declining but obesity still needs to be tackled

According to a new report from four major national cancer tracking groups there has been a steady decline in cancer death rates for men, women and children from 2004 to 2008. The declines in death and new cases of cancer reflect progress against the disease in terms of prevention, diagnosis and treatment, but experts say rising obesity may present a new challenge in the fight against cancer.

29 Mar 2012

ImaginAb completes Series A financing

ImaginAb, Inc. a clinical-stage company developing in vivo imaging agents for Positron Emission Tomography (PET) based on antibody fragment technology, today announced the completion of a Series A financing – led by Novartis Venture Funds.

27 Mar 2012

Novel interventional radiology procedure zaps around complicated pancreatic tumors

Results of a study presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 37th Annual Scientific Meeting in San Francisco, Calif., signal a light at the end of the tunnel for individuals with inoperable locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC). A new procedure called irreversible electroporation or IRE uses microsecond electrical pulses to force open and destroy tumor cells around a vast and delicate network of blood vessels of the pancreas.

27 Mar 2012

Enrollment complete in Clovis' CO-101 pivotal study for metastatic pancreatic cancer

Clovis Oncology, Inc. announced today that it has reached the target enrollment in its pivotal LEAP (Low hENT1 and Adenocarcinoma of the Pancreas) study of CO-101 in metastatic pancreatic cancer.

26 Mar 2012

Cathepsin Z protein regulates metastasis of pancreatic cancer

Researchers at Queen Mary, University of London have identified a new protein that makes pancreatic cancer cells less 'sticky' and therefore less able to attach to and invade other tissue.

26 Mar 2012

Study shows how to defeat chemotherapy barrier in pancreatic cancer

Scientists at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) have discovered a literal 'break through' in pancreatic cancer.

21 Mar 2012

PEGPH20 enzyme re-expands insides of blood vessels to allow more drugs to reach tumours

Cancer Research UK scientists have shown that an enzyme can re-expand the insides of blood vessels allowing more drugs and large antibody molecules to reach pancreatic tumours, according to research published in GUT today.

21 Mar 2012

OSU, NCKU sign MOU to improve clinical research on pancreatic cancer

National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) in Tainan, southern Taiwan, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Ohio State University (OSU) College of Pharmacy on March 20 at the NCKU College of Medicine as part of its effort to enhance its international academic cooperation and most importantly to improve the clinical research on pancreatic cancer.

21 Mar 2012