What's New 2011?

2011- New Discoveries

Researchers at the Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center at Johns Hopkins Medical Institute have sequenced all known human genes in a series of ten pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas (also known as islet cell tumors and endocrine tumors).  Islet cell tumors of the pancreas are different from adenocarcinoma of the pancreas.  These tumors are derived from neuroendocrine cells and tend to be slow growing tumors that are treatable even after they have metastasized.  They can produce dramatic symptoms since these tumors may secrete hormones that produce side effects due to excessive secretion of the hormones.
This discovery is important because researchers found that one-sixth of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas have mutations in genes coding for proteins in the mTOR pathway.  Currently, there are drugs available that target the mTOR pathway.  This suggests that doctors will be able to treat only those with mTOR pathway mutations with the medicine without having other patients endure in a treatment that will not help them.
Researchers also discovered a new cancer pathway by locating mutations in two genes (ATRX and DAXX) that have not been reported before in any tumor.  This is important because it helps scientists to learn more about the function of the genes by providing insight into the fundamental biology of neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas.
Scientists also found that tumors with the ATRX/DAXX mutations as well as in gene MEN-1 have a significantly better prognosis than tumors that lack these mutations.

I know all these scientific terms can be confusing, but they aren't really terms I can switch out.  Hopefully you can read over it a few times and understand why these discoveries are so important.  Research never stops.  If research stops, the chance for a cure stops.  Every discovery is a step in the right direction.

It's Go Time!

Let me just say that starting this blog was incredibly difficult for me!!  I was able to create it without a problem, but filling this box with enough words, and more importantly, the right words, has been stretched out through one episode each of Pretty Little Liars, Castle, and The Next Great Baker as well as helping to bath my roommate's puppy Rocco.  Now that I am done procrastinating, let's get down to business!

For my blog, I am going to concentrate on research and clinical trials that doctors are working on around the United States in hopes of finding some way to diagnose the disease earlier, or to treat it with a higher chance of success. Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers out there.  Early detection is uncommon, pancreatic cancer spreads quickly, and recurrence is likely. This topic has a lot of significance to me because my mom was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in May of 2007 and passed away from the disease six months later.  I think it is a terrible tragedy that the prognosis for this disease is so bad.  I wish I were skilled in science and math and could go into a medical field, but those skills are not mine.  Writing is a way that I can tell others about the disease and ways that they can help raise awareness.  On that note, let's start with a few facts.

Did You Know?...

• Pancreatic cancer is the 10th most common site of new cancers  
• It is the 4th leading cause of cancer deaths among both men and women
• It comprises 6% of all cancer-related deaths

• At the time of diagnosis, 52% of all patients have distant disease and 26% have regional spread
• The relative 1 year survival rate for pancreatic cancer is only 24% and overall 5 year survival is 5%
• The collective median survival time of all patients is 4 to 6 months

• Age is the most significant risk factor for pancreatic cancer
• After the age of 50, the frequency of pancreatic cancer increases linearly
• At age 70, the pancreatic cancer mortality rate is approximately 60 deaths per 100,000 persons per year
• Median age at diagnosis is 69 in whites and 65 in blacks

Causes

•  40% of pancreatic cancer cases are sporadic in nature
• 30% are related to smoking
• 20% may be associated with dietary factors
• 5-10% are hereditary in nature

 This is just a quick look at pancreatic cancer.  This is only the beginning of the semester and I have a lot to learn, and hopefully also a lot to teach!  For now though, I am going to bed, or else I will sleep through this class tomorrow and this will have been for nothing!  Until next time...