Pancreatic (Pancreas) Cancer

• Pancreatic cancer affects the pancreas, an organ found in the abdomen. The pancreas is responsible for producing enzymes that aid in digesting food and hormones like insulin and glucagon that help to balance blood-sugar levels.

• Different types of tumors can occur in the pancreas. The most common type is pancreatic adenocarcinoma, a cancer that is almost always deadly and forms in the cells that help deliver enzymes for food digestion, known as exocrine tumors. Less deadly and far less common are tumors that form in the cells that make the hormones, called endocrine tumors.

• Pancreatic cancer is relatively uncommon, but almost uniformly fatal. The disease's symptoms, which are often difficult to identify, make if difficult to detect until it is at an advanced stage. It ranks as the fourth-leading cause of cancer-related death in U.S. men and women.
  

Solving mysteries in pancreatic cancer's progression – Dr. Sunil Hingorani and colleagues have discovered that a specific sequence of otherwise common genetic mutations—not just their mere presence—is responsible for the development of the most common and almost uniformly deadly form of pancreatic cancer: ductal adenocarcinoma. Previously, scientists did not know why cells developed into ductal adenocarcinoma or a less aggressive form of the cancer known as cystic ductal pancreatic cancer. The discovery was made using the first genetically engineered animal model of pancreatic cancer, which may also advance research on early detection, diagnosis and treatment of this deadly disease. Learn more »

Using genes for early detection and diagnosis – An international research group that includes Dr. Teri Brentnall has discovered that the mutated form of a gene called palladin causes hereditary pancreatic cancer. The findings may help define a target for screening and early diagnosis for this often-lethal cancer. Learn more »

Using proteins for early detection – Dr. Samir Hanash and colleagues have identified a set of proteins associated with the early-stage development of pancreatic tumors in genetically engineered mice. The same five-protein set is also associated with the early development of the disease in humans. The major breakthrough brings scientists significantly closer to developing a blood test to detect pancreatic cancer early, when cure rates are highest. Learn more »

Another team of researchers led by Dr. Brentnall is developing a blood test that targets pancreatic cancer at its very earliest–and most difficult to detect–stage known as pancreatic carcinoma in-situ. The Brentnall team includes collaborators from along the West Coast and Canada and receives support from the Canary Foundation's cancer early-detection program. Learn more »

Improving treatment – An international team of investigators, including the Hutchinson Center's Dr. Sunil Hingorani, has discovered a mechanism that may explain why panreatic cancer patients are often resistant to a common chemotherapy treatment called gemcitabine. These findings may lead to more effective chemotherapy drugs to treat pancreas cancer in the future. Learn more »