Author Archives: pancreatica
Biomarker miR-10b for Pancreatic Cancer: earlier diagnosis and/or therapeutic target?
As alluded to in another recent blog entry, the study of microRNA has been a source of great interest as to the possible development of biomarkers that may screen or aid on the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer (ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas). MicroRNAs (or sometimes abbreviated miR) are small (18 to 25 nucleotide) non-coding RNA […]
SOX Chemo Regimen as 2nd Line for Pancreatic Cancer
Acronyms in medicine are often a hoot. We have the four-drug combination called FOLFIRINOX for advanced pancreatic cancer (ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas). Recently, here at Pancreatica we reported on a study of a three-drug version of the above termed: OFF. Now comes a review of the regimen of S-1 plus oxaliplatin by Japanese researchers, […]
DNA Epigenetic Changes for the Earlier Diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer
In an absolutely remarkable, fascinating and possible game-changing study, Joo Mi Yi and Nita Ahuja and colleagues (primarily) from Johns Hopkins University have identified a “panel” of biomarkers based on DNA methylation of two relatively obscure genes (that can be identified in serum) for use, at least at an experimental level at this stage, for […]
Tarceva Plus Gemcitabine After Surgery for Pancreatic Cancer ?
Gress and colleagues from the University of Marburg in Germany published the results of a Phase II trial in the October 2013 issue of the Annals of Oncology, the official journal of the European Society for Medical Oncology. They did a prospective multi-center study of 76 pancreatic cancer (ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas) patients over […]
Three Things that Aren’t True About Pancreatic Cancer
“Half the lies they tell about me aren’t true.” -Yogi Berra There are legitimate controversies in pancreatic cancer. Often over time, the pendulum can swing to one side or the other of a scientific conflict – as new evidence supports a contention or not. Sometimes, with a greater understanding of the complexity of an issue, […]