New treatment for early stage pancreatic cancer

Scientists at the University of Oklahoma have found a novel way to stop early stage pancreatic cancer.

C.V. Rao, and his team were able to show for the first time that a drug used in current chemotherapy for later stages of pancreatic cancer had a dramatic effect if used earlier.

With low doses of Gefitinib, which has no known side effects at this level, scientists were able to not only stop pancreatic cancer tumors from growing, but after 41 weeks of treatment, the cancer was gone.

The Oklahoma team said the finding points to an effective way to stop pancreatic cancer before it reaches later stages of development where the survival rate drops below 6 percent.

Gefitinib works by targeting signals of a gene that is among the first to mutate when pancreatic cancer is present. By targeting the signal for tumor growth expressed by the mutated gene, researchers were able to stop the cancer”s procession.

“This gene is the key in 95 percent of cases of pancreatic cancer. It is our best target. By targeting this gene, we can activate or inactivate several other genes and processes down the line,” Rao said.

Gefitinib

The study was published in the latest issue of Cancer Prevention Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Pancreatitis is an important part of the digestive system to enhance immune response, which usually destroy the cancer cells are formed in the body. If someone is suffering from this disease is very unfortunate.

Many people are given the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer of about 37 000 in the United States. This disease is the fourth most deadly disease. The disease is difficult to diagnose, because it does not show symptoms until there is the spread and grow to a stage further.

Aged between 60 and 80 are most susceptible to this disease. Though, many younger people have been surrendered by pancreatic cancer. But it rarely occurs in people under 40 years of age. Risk of suffering from this disease tripled if they smoke, because exposure to chemicals and genetically as happened in the family history of breast cancer and colon cancer.

Pancreatic cancer prognosis is not very good. Despite recent treatment showed a survival rate of this disease increased over several decades. By the American Cancer Society is a 20% one year survival rate of pancreatic cancer, up 4% live five years after diagnosis. If the patient has the ability resection survival rate antara18 sampai20 months. Tumor size has an effect on survival rates as well. The smaller the tumor size is very good to be resection chance to work.

If the patient does not have the ability to resection, this situation will further aggravate the disease. This will speed up the weakness, pain, and weight. Doctors will be member of treatment and techniques to help manage pain in patients. Chemotherapy and radiation treatments can be done for patients. This increases the survival of several months.

All the best method of treatment is the patient is informed so that they can make wise decisions about patient treatment. Balanced diet high in antioxidants is also important things that must be considered to help fight disease and improve the patient’s immune response. Natural immunity in the body to heal, repair damaged tissue and promote healing throughout the body.

The information is also important for pancreatic cancer patients are to adopt a healthy lifestyle, because it has shown remarkable results in significantly slowing the growth of cancer.