Author Archives: pancreatica
Spectrometry Model as a Diagnostic Marker for Pancreatic Cancer
Japanese researchers including Yoshida and colleagues from the Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine used a specific lab method (gas chromatography mass spectrometry) on certain serum metabolite levels in patients with known pancreatitis, diagnosed pancreatic cancer (ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas), and healthy subject volunteers. The results of this study were published this month in […]
MicroRNAs as markers for IPMNs (early pancreatic cancer?)
Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) are not fully understood, but are felt by many to be precursor tumors to full blown pancreatic cancer (ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas). Thus, an interesting study was recently published by Italian researchers including Giovannetti and colleagues from the University of Pisa in the Annals of Oncology (the official journal of the […]
From What Cells Does Pancreatic Cancer Arise?
Now comes a fascinating study by researchers from UC San Francisco and UC San Diego that tends to refute the common knowledge that pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells arise from genetic mutations in the PANCREATIC DUCT LINING CELLS. Published in the November 29th 2012 issue of the journal Cancer Cell, Dr. Maike Sander and colleagues have shown […]
The Re-Treatment of Recurrent Pancreatic Cancer – Revisited
We discussed two recent studies on the apparent benefits of possible re-treatment of recurrent pancreatic cancer (ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas) in our Pancreatica Blog entry of November 17, 2012. Now there are two more interesting medical articles on this subject that have been recently published. Werner and colleagues from the University of Heidelberg (including […]
Avastin + Chemo for Advanced Pancreatic Cancer?
We’ve watched with interest as the pendulum has swung back and forth over the years on the possible efficacy of agents (for pancreatic cancer) that block Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), a molecule that mediates angiogenesis (the vascular growth that occurs in tumors). Bevacizumab, a monoclonal antibody to VEGF, is known as Avastin and is […]