(SOURCE: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, news release, June 9, 2008)
FRIDAY, June 13 (HealthDay News) -- Five proteins linked to early development of pancreatic cancer have been identified by U.S. researchers, who said the finding is a step forward in efforts to develop a blood test to detect this type of cancer in the early stages, when cure rates are highest. "Our team identified, for the first time, protein changes associated with early-stage pancreatic tumor development in genetically engineered mice that were also found to be associated with the presence of disease in humans at an early, pre-symptomatic stage," senior author Dr. Samir Hanash, of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, said in a prepared statement. They first identified the five proteins in mice with a precancerous condition called pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasma. The condition, if left untreated, eventually progresses to full-blown pancreatic cancer. The researchers then looked for the same proteins in blood samples from 13 people with asymptomatic, early-stage pancreatic cancer. The study was published in this week's issue of the online journal PLoS Medicine. If this five-biomarker panel can be developed into a commercial screening test, it may prove particularly useful when combined with a currently available test that measures levels of a pancreatic cancer biomarker called CA19.9. Eighty percent of newly diagnosed pancreatic cancer patients have elevated levels of CA19.9, which is not linked to early-stage disease with symptoms. The researchers suggested that combined use of the five-biomarker panel and the CA19.9 test may greatly improve detection of early-stage pancreatic cancer before the onset of symptoms and may also help distinguish between cancer and pancreatitis, a noncancerous, inflammatory condition. Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States. It has a five-year survival rate of only 3 percent. Because there are no symptoms in the early stages, most patients aren't diagnosed until the cancer has spread beyond the pancreas. This is a major reason for the poor long-term survival rates. More information The American Cancer Society has more about pancreatic cancer. Copyright © 2008 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved. HealthDayNews articles are derived from various sources and do not reflect federal policy. healthfinder.gov does not endorse opinions, products, or services that may appear in news stories. For more information on health topics in the news, visit Health News on healthfinder.gov. |
