According to a story from PR Newswire, The Lustgarten Foundation, which is the largest private organization that funds research on pancreatic cancer, has recently announced that opening of its fourth research lab. This lab will be part of the Johns Hopkins University Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center. The primary goal of this lab’s research will be developing more effective methods for detecting pancreatic cancer early in its evolution so that it can be cured by surgery. They also plan to investigate the genetics of pancreatic cancer tumors in order to develop innovative therapies that are based on these characteristics.
About Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most dangerous forms of cancer. The disease affects the pancreas, which is a glandular organ that is situated behind the stomach. Part of the reason that pancreatic cancer is so dangerous is that it rarely produces noticeable symptoms until it has reached an advanced stage and begun to spread. However, even when detected earlier, it is difficult to treat effectively. Risk factors for pancreatic cancer include being male, old age, African-American ancestry, family history, smoking, obesity, diabetes, chronic pancreatitis, and a diet heavy in red meat, processed meat, or meat cooked at very high temperatures. Symptoms include depression, upper abdominal pain, jaundice, diabetes, constipation, weight loss, and appetite loss. Treatment approaches for this cancer include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Even with heavy treatment, pancreatic cancer almost always returns. The five year survival rate is just five percent. To learn more about pancreatic cancer, click here.
Improving Detection and Treatment
Dr. Bert Vogelstein says that early detection is probably one of the best ways to reduce the lethality of pancreatic cancer, which is notorious for not producing symptoms in the early stages. Pancreatic cancer can be successfully cured if detected early, but most patients present with advanced disease that rarely responds well to treatment and certainly cannot be cured.
Dr. Vogelstein and his team are at work developing CancerSEEK, a unique blood test that can detect pancreatic cancer and other types, as well as the CompCyst test, which is intended to help predict the possibility that a pancreatic cyst can turn into cancer.
CancerSEEK has already earned Fast Track designation from the FDA, but the team wants to increase its effectiveness further before development proceeds; the CompCyst test is not as far along and still needs to be fine tuned.
The team will also review information about common genetic mutations in pancreatic cancer to facilitate the development of targeted therapies.
Click here to learn more about the Lustgarten Foundation.
