Pancreas News and Research

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The pancreas is a gland organ in the digestive and endocrine system of vertebrates. It is both an endocrine gland producing several important hormones, including insulin, glucagon, and somatostatin, as well as an exocrine gland, secreting pancreatic juice containing digestive enzymes that pass to the small intestine. These enzymes help in the further breakdown of the carbohydrates, protein, and fat in the chyme.

New genetic risk factors for type 2 diabetes

In the most comprehensive look at genetic risk factors for type 2 diabetes to date, a U.S.-Finnish team, working in close collaboration with two other groups, has identified at least four new genetic variants associated with increased risk of diabetes and confirmed existence of another six.

27 Apr 2007

Anti-reflux biliary stent helps those with bile duct obstruction

An anti-reflux valve developed to help esophageal cancer patients also has been shown to help those with bile duct obstruction, according to Kulwinder S. Dua, M.D., a research physician at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.

26 Apr 2007

Chronic depression or depression that worsens over time may cause diabetes in older adults

This is the first national study to suggest that depression alone -- and not lifestyle factors like being overweight ,can trigger Type 2 diabetes in adults 65 and older, a population with a high prevalence of diabetes and depression. The report will be published April 23 in Archives of Internal Medicine.

24 Apr 2007

Lexicon-Genentech reveals potential therapeutic targets

Lexicon Genetics Incorporated has announced that data was presented highlighting potential therapeutic targets related to its collaboration with Genentech, Inc. at the Society for Biomolecular Sciences 13th Annual Conference & Exhibition in Montreal, Canada.

19 Apr 2007

Factors that dictate risk of developing primary or secondary cancer

Every day, people make assumptions, educated and not, about their risk for developing cancer.

18 Apr 2007

Early stage pancreatic cancer expresses antigen targeted by Immunomedics' PAM4 antibody

Immunomedics has reported in an oral presentation at the 2007 Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) that the antigen targeted by the humanized PAM4 antibody is expressed in early stage pancreatic cancer specimens, a stage before the tumor becomes invasive.

18 Apr 2007

Predicting cancer risk in the long term

Every day, people make assumptions, educated and not, about their risk for developing cancer.

17 Apr 2007

Johns Hopkins develops pancreas cancer risk software tool

People with a family history of pancreas cancer now have a way to accurately predict their chance of carrying a gene for hereditary pancreas cancer and their lifetime risk of developing the disease.

17 Apr 2007

Rep. Dave Weldon comments on stem therapy and type I diabetes

In yet another advance in adult stem cell therapy, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) today released a study in which 14 of 15 Juvenile Diabetes patients demonstrated significant improvement as a result of an adult stem cell treatment.

11 Apr 2007

Stem cells re-set the immune systems of diabetes patients

Researchers in Brazil and the U.S. have conducted an experiment which shows that stem cells can "re-set" the immune systems of diabetes patients.

10 Apr 2007

Mutation in gene HNF4A linked to increeased birthweight and macrosomia

Macrosomia (birthweight more than 4000g) is associated with complications for both mothers and babies; one cause of macrosomia is diabetes in the mother.

4 Apr 2007

Insulin receptors play a critical role in promoting islet growth

A new Joslin-led study has identified the insulin receptor as an important protein that promotes islet cell growth in mice whose bodies are unable to use insulin properly, or are insulin resistant, a precursor to type 2 diabetes.

4 Apr 2007

Research holds promise for new techniques for pancreas cell manipulation

Replacing faulty or missing cells with new insulin-making cells has been the object of diabetes research for the last decade. Past studies in tissue culture have suggested that one type of pancreas cell could be coaxed to transform into insulin-producing islet cells.

3 Apr 2007

Researchers spot molecular player in insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes

Scientists at Weill Cornell Medical College have identified a protein called Rab10 as an important partner in the insulin-mediated uptake of glucose by cells, opening the way to potential new drug targets for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes.

3 Apr 2007

Decoy receptor 3 expressed in rheumatic synovial fibroblasts protects the cells against Fas-induced apoptosis

A complex autoimmune disease, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by chronic inflammation and progressive joint damage. This process begins with hyperplasia, or excessive increase in size and thickness, of synovial tissue. Along with provoking cartilage and bone destruction, this abnormal tissue growth is resistant to apoptosis, the natural cell death vital to the generation of healthy new cells.

30 Mar 2007

Newly discovered peptide could help transplant for diabetes

A peptide developed by scientists at Weill Cornell Medical College may expand the availability and durability of islet cell transplant for patients with type-1 diabetes, which is characterized by a lack of these insulin-producing cells.

21 Mar 2007

Researchers uncover genetic sequence responsible for rare form of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is an almost uniformly fatal disease regardless of the stage at time of diagnosis. However, a small percentage of patients develop a form of ductal adenocarcinoma associated with cystic lesions that can be detected earlier, is less aggressive and has a 50 percent long-term survival rate.

14 Mar 2007

Understanding link between polycystic ovary syndrome and insulin resistance

It is known that women with PCOS have a 3-fold increase in their risk of developing type-2 diabetes, where the body does not produce enough insulin or cannot use insulin properly. Insulin resistance is an important factor in the condition, which is the most common female hormone disorder. PCOS affects between 5 and 10 per cent of women and is a major cause of infertility.

12 Mar 2007