Research programme on cancer screening

[Guest guest]

Hello everyone,

Just letting you know that Liverpool is currently conducting a

research programme into secondary screening for early pancreatic

cancer in patients over the age of 40 with hereditary pancreatitis

and patients over the age of 30 who have a significant history of

familial pancreatic cancer. The following paragraph is a slightly

shortened version of some of the info available on their website.

The programme will look at molecular techniques based on pancreatic

juice analysis in together with CT and EUS. This may provide a

sensitive means of detecting early lesions. Europac has developed a

reliable way of detecting K-ras mutations and is currently

developing methods of detecting p53 and p16 mutations. Although

these mutations may be found in patients with no malignancy, the

detection of K-ras mutations may provide a screen to identify higher

risk patients who would benefit from further molecular tests and

more frequent radiology.

I am not sure if I would be an appropriate case but I have written

to Professor Neoptolemos for more details. I have not had an ERCP

since 1988 but this would be necessary as a baseline test with

aspiration of pancreatic juice. I did have two CT scans last year

and am scheduled to have an EUS in the near future.

I know that this is very early days and the research programme is

precisely that...research. Nevertheless I do feel that it represents

some movement towards a more sensitive screening for cancer than

currently exists.

Does anyone know about parallel research in the US, eg. possibly at

Pittsburgh? I have read so much of where the screening was going on

the Pittsburgh website, and the need to develop more sensitive

monitoring techniques, but I seem unable to access much from the

last couple of years when, obviously, progress has been made.

With good wishes to everyone,

Fliss (UK)