New blood test detects early stage pancreatic cancer

[Northerner]

Pancreatic cancer is currently very difficult to detect while it is still resectable. A new blood test developed by researchers at Lund University in Sweden, Herlev Hospital, Knight Cancer Center and Immunovia AB, can detect pancreatic cancer in the very earliest stages of the disease. The results have been published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Due to diffuse symptoms, pancreatic cancer is usually diagnosed very late in the disease progression. Therefore, despite pancreatic cancer representing less than 3% of all cancer cases, more people currently die from it than breast cancer. By 2030, pancreatic cancer is expected to be the second deadliest type of cancer in the world.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/09/180917101304.htm

 

[Drummer]

My neighbour was diagnosed and died in under two months - first thing I knew about it was the funeral from the house.
It is good news that there is more hope for early diagnosis and treatment.

 

[mikeyB]

Well, clearly I have an interest in that, because I am slightly more likely to get pancreatic cancer than the rest of the population because of my chronic pancreatitis. I hope they get this up and running soon.

There’s also an apparent increased risk in diabetes, but the association is nowhere near as strong.

I can’t see a viable case for screening regularly in the general population, though.

 

[Amigo]

My close friend was given little hope when she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer but following a Whipple procedure she’s now in full remission and doing great 7 yrs later (now diabetic of course).

 

[mikeyB]

Around 3% of pancreatic resections for cancer show the diagnosis to be wrong. I had a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer for three weeks. Not the best 3 weeks of my life, I have to say.