A pancreatic cancer diagnosis can be life-altering. But thanks to new research and advancements, that diagnosis can come with more hope than ever before.
Researchers are developing and testing ways to detect the disease earlier, as well as more advanced, personalized treatments. These developments are starting to change the landscape of pancreatic cancer care. Long-term survival rates are still lower than for many other types. Yet, these advances in care are nudging those numbers continually upward.
Learn what’s new and how it’s improving outcomes for people with pancreatic cancer.
Early detection for pancreatic cancer
One of the main reasons why pancreatic cancer has historically had such low survival rates is because it’s typically not diagnosed until more advanced stages. There is currently no general screening test for pancreatic cancer (like a colonoscopy for colon cancer, a mammogram for breast cancer, or a PSA blood test for prostate cancer).
Some recent advances, however, are showing promise in helping doctors find pancreatic cancer at earlier stages. These are most likely to be used (for now at least) only for people who are at increased risk of pancreatic cancer. That would include those with:
- Chronic pancreatitis
- Family history of the disease
- Inherited genetic mutation
- New-onset diabetes
One of the most promising is a blood test that analyzes microRNAs (small particles released from tumors). One study found the test accurately detected early-stage pancreatic cancer with a 91% accuracy.
Other research has identified methylated DNA markers in pancreatic juice as biomarkers for early pancreatic tumors.
Continued research is needed before any of these tests become routine screening tools.
Genetic testing for pancreatic cancer
Only about 10% of people with pancreatic cancer have a family history of the disease. But researchers are discovering new links between certain gene mutations and an increased risk of pancreatic cancer.
BRCA 1 and 2 mutations not only increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancer, they can also lead to a three- to 10-times greater risk of pancreatic cancer. Screening for these mutations may help doctors identify patients at higher risk of the disease.
Other mutations in the tumors themselves can play a role in how the cancer is treated. KRAS mutations are found in up to 90% of pancreatic tumors. By identifying these changes, doctors are able to use targeted therapy geared toward the specific gene mutation.
Is there a pancreatic cancer vaccine?
When you think of a vaccine, you think of something like the flu shot that you get to prevent the disease. The versions of a pancreatic cancer vaccine currently being developed are a bit different.
Some clinical trials of pancreatic cancer vaccines are showing promising early results. These vaccines are being used to stimulate a person’s immune system to target cancer cells (making them a type of immunotherapy).
In an early-stage trial conducted at UCLA, the vaccine prevented or delayed recurrence (when the cancer returns) after surgery in patients with high-risk pancreatic cancer.
Other researchers are studying vaccines that are personalized to each patient. These use proteins taken from tumor cells to customize an immune response.
Clinical trials for leading-edge therapies
The field of precision oncology is helping doctors make advances in how they treat pancreatic cancer. By screening and profiling tumors, they can better pair treatments to patients. This includes matching patients with pioneering clinical trials of new therapies.
Among the more promising trials are those for a new class of drugs called KRAS inhibitors. Because KRAS mutations are so common in pancreatic cancer, these new drugs are emerging as an important treatment tool.
With all of these innovations, even people with advanced-stage pancreatic cancer are living longer and with a better quality of life.
