Author Archives: pancreatica
Glycoprotein Biomarkers for Malignancy in Pancreatic Cysts
We speak of pancreatic cancer as if it is one thing, but there are many kinds of pancreatic cancer; one classification had this number at 17. A frequent anatomic / physiologic action of the pancreas is that it tends to produce cysts (and sometimes even “pseudocysts” – pockets of fluid often seen as a result […]
The Relationship Between Diabetes and Pancreatic Cancer
“It’s complicated.” But why should pancreatic cancer (ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas) be any less convoluted than other aspects of the pancreas? The origin of the embryologic pancreas develops from TWO buds off of the foregut – that EACH “typically” moves and develops, eventually merging to form what we know as the pancreas. This somewhat individualistic […]
Hedgehog Pathway Inhibition Slows Pancreatic Cancer Cell Growth
You may wonder what this has to do with pancreatic cancer (ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas), but please know that those of us who are old enough to remember once shivered and screamed in horror at the 1958 move, The Fly, whereby the protagonist ended up half human, half housefly (musca domestica). This fear may […]
Scientific Framework for Pancreatic Cancer
In February of this year the U.S. National Cancer Institute published an important overview of the state of the science and medicine of pancreatic cancer. We will comment on aspects of it from time to time in the future, but as it so comprehensive and precise, in a departure from our usual practice, we will […]
Electroporation for the Treatment of Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer
Nilsson and colleagues from Uppsala University in Sweden in an interesting Phase I pilot study evaluated the irreversible electroporation procedure for the treatment of locally advanced (ostensibly unresectable) pancreatic cancer (ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas), publishing the results in the January 2014 issue of the journal, Anticancer Research. Cells are the fundamental unit of biological […]