This is a daily brief of some advances in pancreatic cancer. Needless to say, it is not exhaustive and was compiled only to aid PC patients and their caregivers. Please consult a doctor for any medical advice.

1. This illness is rarely curable and
has an overall survival (OS) of less
than 6%.
Less than 20% of tumors are small (<2
cm) truly and with no lymph node metastases.
Actuarial 5-year survival up to 24% has been
observed. Surgical resection is the treatment
mainstay.
Exocrine disease Localized disease
PANCREATIC CANCER
2017 FAST FACTS AND
PROMISING RESEARCH
2017: FOR
INOPERABLE
PC
Screen
The USPSTF has
drafted a research
plan for screening
select PC patients.
Guide
The American Society
for Oncology has
2016 guidance for
treatment of
potentially curable
PC.
Lab
It may one day be
possible to treat PC
by blocking ROCK
kinase to affect
tumor tissue tension
and improve chemo.
Growth
Maybe a key factor in
early embryonic
development, Zeb1,
contributes to
aggressive growth of
PC.
RESEARCHScreening select patients
may lead to earlier ID
Novel anti-mPDAC agents have
yielded promising results
2nd-line treatment tested and validated
(First-line): FOLFIRINOX & gemcitabine combined with nab-paclitaxel
have improved overall survivals
Abbreviations: mPDAC, metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma: PC, pancreatic cancer; ROCK, Rho-associated protein kinase; SPSTF, The United States Preventive Services Task Forces; Zeb 1, Zinc Finger E-Box Binding Homeobox 1
Sources:
National Cancer Institute website; Collins H, Calvo S, Greenberg K, et al. Interact. J. Med. Res.. 2016;5(2):e13; Dickson I. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2017 (e-pub);
Khorana AA, Mangu PB, Berlin J, et al. J. Clin. Oncol. 2016;34(21):2541-2556; Taieb J, Pointet AL, Van Laethem JL, et al. Ann Oncol. 2017 (e-pub).
FUTURE FOR ALL FORMS OF PC