Pancreatic Cancer: A Silent Killer
Feb-20-07 02:04 pm
Less Common But Very Deadly, Georgetown University Hospital Uses Best Methods For Early Diagnosis
Washington, DC-- Doctors at Georgetown University Hospital are working with advances in endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) to achieve the earliest diagnosis possible for one of the deadliest forms of cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, pancreatic cancer kills roughly 90% of those who develop the disease.
An EUS is non-invasive test. It is performed by inserting a long tube, with a camera at the end, through the mouth, down into the stomach and to the top of the small intestines. There the camera delivers a clear view of the pancreas through the walls of the top of the small intestines, or the duodenum. It is more accurate than a CAT scan or an MRI at visualizing early pancreatic cancer when surgery is still an option. Surgery is the best form of treatment for pancreatic cancer when the tumor is 2cm or less.
“It’s a simple way of detecting a tumor and getting a biopsy right through the wall of the duodenum with a needle. The patient wakes-up with no pain,” said John Carroll, MD, Gastroenterology. “The old way requires a needle through the belly, is much less accurate and is painful.”
“It is a very deadly disease, but not common enough for everyone to be screened for it,” said Nadim Haddad, MD, Gastroenterology. “Its symptoms are vague and non-descript usually until the disease is so advanced there is little that can be done.”
The American Cancer Society states that pancreatic cancer afflicts over 35,000 people in the United States each year. The reason the disease is so deadly is because few symptoms are present before the cancer has spread and becomes advanced.
The causes of pancreatic cancer are still a mystery to doctors so there are no real guidelines on exactly who should be screened and when. However, there are portions of the population for whom screening is a proactive step in trying to treat the disease.
“People with a family history of pancreatic cancer need to inform their doctors. Especially if they are experiencing stomach pain, unexplained weight loss and/or jaundice,” said Dr. Carroll.
Those who are most at risk are those with a family history of the disease, however that doesn’t mean those who do not have a family history are not at risk. Typically, those who develop pancreatic cancer are over the age of 55, overweight, diabetic and/or have chronic pancreatitis, a long-term inflammation of the pancreas. The American Cancer Society also lists work exposure to certain pesticides, insecticides, dyes or gasoline products as possibly raising the risk of pancreatic cancer.
“Diagnosing the disease early is key,” said Dr. Haddad. “When diagnosed early, surgery is often a possibility and is the best option against pancreatic cancer. However, it is not a cure.”
Georgetown University Hospital is working on gene therapy treatments to help in the fight against cancer, including pancreatic cancer. Preliminary tests show that certain gene therapies show a reduction in recurrence rates among those who have surgery and undergo chemo and radiation therapy.
In cases where standard surgery is not an option for pancreatic cancer, physicians have used the CyberKnife with Synchrony technology to radiate the tumors with pinpoint accuracy. The CyberKnife system uses military technology similar to that used for cruise missile guidance to deliver concentrated and accurate beams of radiation to the targeted tumor or lesion. The radiation beams have over 1200 orientations capable of targeting the tumor with pinpoint accuracy. After a treatment that lasts about an hour per lesion, the patient can get up and go home the same day. This three-dimensional approach to deliver a focused radiation dose achieves a surgical-like outcome.
#######
Media Contacts: Megan Duke
202-444-7443
mxd19@gunet.georgetown.edu
Marianne Worley
202-444-4659
mw32@georgetown.edu
Washington, DC-- Doctors at Georgetown University Hospital are working with advances in endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) to achieve the earliest diagnosis possible for one of the deadliest forms of cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, pancreatic cancer kills roughly 90% of those who develop the disease.
An EUS is non-invasive test. It is performed by inserting a long tube, with a camera at the end, through the mouth, down into the stomach and to the top of the small intestines. There the camera delivers a clear view of the pancreas through the walls of the top of the small intestines, or the duodenum. It is more accurate than a CAT scan or an MRI at visualizing early pancreatic cancer when surgery is still an option. Surgery is the best form of treatment for pancreatic cancer when the tumor is 2cm or less.
“It’s a simple way of detecting a tumor and getting a biopsy right through the wall of the duodenum with a needle. The patient wakes-up with no pain,” said John Carroll, MD, Gastroenterology. “The old way requires a needle through the belly, is much less accurate and is painful.”
“It is a very deadly disease, but not common enough for everyone to be screened for it,” said Nadim Haddad, MD, Gastroenterology. “Its symptoms are vague and non-descript usually until the disease is so advanced there is little that can be done.”
The American Cancer Society states that pancreatic cancer afflicts over 35,000 people in the United States each year. The reason the disease is so deadly is because few symptoms are present before the cancer has spread and becomes advanced.
The causes of pancreatic cancer are still a mystery to doctors so there are no real guidelines on exactly who should be screened and when. However, there are portions of the population for whom screening is a proactive step in trying to treat the disease.
“People with a family history of pancreatic cancer need to inform their doctors. Especially if they are experiencing stomach pain, unexplained weight loss and/or jaundice,” said Dr. Carroll.
Those who are most at risk are those with a family history of the disease, however that doesn’t mean those who do not have a family history are not at risk. Typically, those who develop pancreatic cancer are over the age of 55, overweight, diabetic and/or have chronic pancreatitis, a long-term inflammation of the pancreas. The American Cancer Society also lists work exposure to certain pesticides, insecticides, dyes or gasoline products as possibly raising the risk of pancreatic cancer.
“Diagnosing the disease early is key,” said Dr. Haddad. “When diagnosed early, surgery is often a possibility and is the best option against pancreatic cancer. However, it is not a cure.”
Georgetown University Hospital is working on gene therapy treatments to help in the fight against cancer, including pancreatic cancer. Preliminary tests show that certain gene therapies show a reduction in recurrence rates among those who have surgery and undergo chemo and radiation therapy.
In cases where standard surgery is not an option for pancreatic cancer, physicians have used the CyberKnife with Synchrony technology to radiate the tumors with pinpoint accuracy. The CyberKnife system uses military technology similar to that used for cruise missile guidance to deliver concentrated and accurate beams of radiation to the targeted tumor or lesion. The radiation beams have over 1200 orientations capable of targeting the tumor with pinpoint accuracy. After a treatment that lasts about an hour per lesion, the patient can get up and go home the same day. This three-dimensional approach to deliver a focused radiation dose achieves a surgical-like outcome.
#######
Media Contacts: Megan Duke
202-444-7443
mxd19@gunet.georgetown.edu
Marianne Worley
202-444-4659
mw32@georgetown.edu
