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Join the fight against pancreatic cancer! The 2015 Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk is Sunday, November 1st at Sloan's Lake Park, Denver, CO.

All the money raised goes directly to pancreatic cancer research thanks to the Lustgarten Foundation!

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Pancreatic Cancer in the News

Paranormal State's Ryan Buell Opens Up About Battling Pancreatic ... People Magazine
Buell had pancreatic cancer. He was 29 years old. News of his illness broke ... It wasn't, like, "Oh, let me get checked for cancer." It was discovered by accident.
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Park Point Beach Runners to Dash Toward Pancreatic Cancer ... Northland's NewsCenter
Park Point Beach Runners to Dash Toward Pancreatic Cancer Awareness ... Marathon will host the Park Point Beach Run for Pancreatic Cancer, this Saturday.
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"A Love For Life" is Established to Raise Funding for Pancreatic ... DigitalJournal.com
"The average survival rate for stage IV pancreatic cancer is just a little over six months. A Love for Life is dedicated to raising money to fund world class ...
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TV Star Ryan Buell, 31, Opens Up on Battle With Pancreatic Cancer Wetpaint
Ryan Buell founded the Paranormal Research Society when he was 19. Now 31, he has a show, Paranormal State on A&E, he's in talks for a new TV show, and ...
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Political activist Brad Peyton dies of cancer DesMoinesRegister.com
Peyton was diagnosed on June 7 with pancreatic cancer that had metastasized to the liver and lung. He died at 1:54 a.m. Thursday, surrounded by family.
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UCSC cancer researchers awarded grants: Funds raised by Santa ... Santa Cruz Sentinel
Jeremy Sanford, professor of molecular, cell and developmental biology, is working to change the fate of pancreatic cancer cells. He will initiate experiments in ...
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Pipeline Progress at OncoMed - Analyst Blog NASDAQ
The phase Ib studies in patients suffering from pancreatic cancer and non-small cell lung cancer are enrolling patients currently. We are encouraged by the ...
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People from across Keighley district raised thousands of pounds in ... Keighley News
Among those who completed the famous half-marathon were a couple supporting Pancreatic Cancer Research. Virginia Griffith, a dietician based at Airedale ...
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Cancer Drug Firm Ducks Shareholder Suit Over $26M Offering Law360 (subscription)
Cancer Drug Firm Ducks Shareholder Suit Over $26M Offering ... raising $26.2 million from shareholders to develop a pancreatic cancer treatment it knew to be ...
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Saturday, September 28, 2013

BEING DISEASE FREE WAS NOT GOOD ENOUGH

In a galaxy far far away (not so long ago), I was sick.  Very sick.  Sick as in “lets-have-the-conversation-about-my-funeral-with-my-husband” sick.

Fortunately, after lots of stuff got pumped into my body, after many hospital stays, blood transfusions and scary moments I was declared DISEASE FREE, or as they say in cancerland  ”NED” (no evidence of disease).

The journey that brought me from stage IV cancer to disease free was finished.  I was told to go on with my life.

During the months of treatment I kept dreaming of that moment, about hearing the words.  The day came and I felt everything but healthy.

I was finally disease free.  My body had evicted the unwelcome cancer, but how come I did not feel healthy?
I wanted to regain my health and vibrancy.  I wanted energy.  I wanted the pain to be gone. I wanted to feel womanly and sexy. I wanted to run and feel strong. I wanted life.

But how?

The first step towards health was clearing my mind through meditation.   I learned how to live in the PRESENT and that allowed me to stop crying over my past, grieving about what cancer had taken away,  and as importantly,  I also stopped worrying about my future, which in my case included a high chance of a relapse and all the “what if’s” that would follow.

Make no mistake, by surrendering my future and fears it did not mean that I was not going to actively take care of my well-being.  I knew there were steps I could take to reduce my risks of a relapse and to make my survivorship the best possible one.

My well meaning doctors wanted to give me pills, lots of it.  I did not want them anymore.

By learning how to be truly present, I started actively practicing gratitude for that moment.

Taking care of my health and mind allowed me that healthy present moment.

I knew I also needed a diet and lifestyle change.

Chemo left so much “leftovers”.  I developed a clotting disorder; I had hands and feet neuropathy.  I ached.  I was tired.  I was moody. I was absent minded.

I knew by providing my body the proper nutrition, my body could then heal itself naturally.

And so it did.

I threw away everything that I knew about nutrition and I re-learned what eating well meant. I de-constructed what my body needed. I eliminated. And then I put it back.  I discarded  the notion that I needed to count and measure everything.  I welcomed food groups that had become foreign to me.

I slept. I rested. I slowed down. I redefined success and fortune.

I avoided negativity and drama. I practiced self-care. I moved my body. I cooked.

I forgave. I loved.

I knew my body was unique and that it needed an unique approach.  It took time and patience  but I feel better than ever.

Better than before.

Like my favorite definition of health goes: “ Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”

After many years being disease free, I finally feel healthy.


with deep gratitude to the people that held my hand and continue to do so,

xo

From the "The Nourishing Seed" Blog. Click here to read more about being disease free and finding more.

Why we walk in Denver ...

Peggy walks for the future, because she wants to ensure that her children and grandchildren never have to face the same battle as her late husband.


I walk because ...

Friday, September 27, 2013

Pancreatic Cancer in the News

Pancreatic Cancer Imaging Agent Earns MabVax $1.75M SBIR Award Genetic Engineering News
MabVax Therapeutics has received a contract from the National Cancer Institute under the Small Business Innovation Research Technology Program (SBIR).
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Penn Medicine Researchers Harness the Immune System to Fight ... Penn: Office of University Communications
Pancreatic cancer ranks as the fourth-leading cause of cancer death in the United States, and is one of the most deadly forms of cancer, due to its resistance to ...
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Costa Rican Receives Patent for Pancreatic Cancer Vaccine The Costa Rica Star
Christian Marin-Muller Costa Rica Christian Marin-Muller, molecular biologist and business manager with a PhD in molecular virology, is the 33 year old Costa ...
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Sandra's heartache played out in soap storyline Worcester News
AFTER losing her husband to pancreatic cancer an Evesham woman was surprised to see her story playing out on television. Sandra Francis, aged 62, lost her ...
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Firm to use cancer research from LSU's Pennington center The Advocate
K94 said it is initially focusing on pancreatic cancer and is also conducting research in ovarian and breast cancer. K94 said its cancer therapies are being based ...
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Protein Receptors May Fight Mucus that Spreads, Shields Cancer ... Laboratory Equipment
A “vicious cycle” produces mucus that protects uterine and pancreatic cancer cells and promotes their proliferation, according to researchers at Rice Univ.
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Researchers harness the immune system to fight pancreatic cancer Science Daily (press release)
Sep. 24, 2013 — Pancreatic cancer ranks as the fourth-leading cause of cancer death in the United States, and is one of the most deadly forms of cancer, due to ...
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MabVax Therapeutics Receives $1750000 Small Business ... MarketWatch (press release)
SAN DIEGO, Sept. 24, 2013 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- MabVax Therapeutics, Inc., a privately held clinical stage biotechnology company focused on the ...
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Penn Medicine Researchers Harness the Immune System to Fight ... Newswise (press release)
Newswise — PHILADELPHIA -- Pancreatic cancer ranks as the fourth-leading cause of cancer death in the United States, and is one of the most deadly forms of ...
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Nuvilex: the Quintessential Mid-Late Stage Biotech Opportunity MarketWatch
The pancreatic cancer treatment market alone is in excess of $1B and given the potential to use the therapy to treat other cancers, Nuvilex is a pure-play cancer ...
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FDA Approves New First-Line Treatment for Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

Katherine Mitchell, APRN, AOCNP
9/26/2013

When was the last time you saw a new treatment for pancreatic cancer? I'd be willing to bet a long time, right?

In 2005, erlotinib (Tarceva), in combination with gemcitabine (Gemzar), was approved for locally advanced, unresectable, or metastatic pancreatic cancer.1 Not since then have we had anything new to offer patients with this advanced disease -- until now.

The FDA has just approved the use of Abraxane in combination with gemcitabine as first-line therapy for metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma. You may be familiar with Abraxane for its long-time use in metastatic breast cancer and more recently for its indication in treating non-small-cell lung cancer.

Abraxane is classified as a microtubule inhibitor. Specifically, it promotes the assembly and stability of microtubules within the cell, essentially inhibiting the disassembly of the structure and thereby inhibiting cell replication.2

Also, Abraxane belongs to the taxane family, which includes well-known drugs like paclitaxel (Taxol) and docetaxel (Taxotere). Taxane drugs are derived from the Pacific yew tree and are notorious for their potential to cause hypersensitivity reactions with administration. However, Abraxane offers the antineoplastic benefits of the taxane family with a reduced risk of allergic reaction. This is because Abraxane is protein-bound paclitaxel, meaning particles of paclitaxel are bound to albumin for delivery of the drug.

The most recent FDA approval for Abraxane followed a multicenter/multinational study of 861 previously chemotherapy-naïve patients comparing Abraxane plus gemcitabine versus gemcitabine alone; 431 patients were randomized to the Abraxane/gemcitabine arm, and 430 to gemcitabine monotherapy.

Those receiving both drugs were given Abraxane 125 mg/m2 followed by gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m2 on days 1, 8, and 15 of a 28-day cycle. Those receiving gemcitabine alone received 1,000 mg/m2 for seven weeks on, one week off with cycle one and thereafter were treated three weeks on, one off. In both arms, therapy was continued until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Study endpoints included overall survival (OS), progression free survival (PFS), and overall response rate (ORR).
The study results showed Abraxane/gemcitabine offered patients a statistically significant advantage in OS (8.5 months versus 6.7). There was also improvement in PFS (5.5 months versus 3.7) and ORR (99 percent versus 31 percent).

As you read those statistically significant numbers, what are your initial thoughts? You might be thinking how great it is that researchers have found something to improve survival in the metastatic pancreatic patient setting. I would agree with this, and I appreciate the statistical significance of the study, including the large sample size. However, when I crunch the numbers, I'm personally left thinking, "Just a two-month benefit in survival time?" I suppose anything like this should be looked upon as a success, considering most patients who present with pancreatic cancer have advanced disease at diagnosis and will likely die within a few years. In fact, of the 861 study patients, 692 had died at the 36-month mark.

Overall, this new approach to treating advanced pancreatic cancer patients is a step in the right direction. However, for the future, I'd like to see erlotinib/gemcitabine compared to Abraxane/gemcitabine. This would be a more interesting comparison study in terms of which offers the greater benefit. Even better still would be a new targeted therapy specifically for pancreatic cancer.

As it stands on the NCI Clinical Trials website, there is no pancreatic cancer-specific trial looking at a new novel agent. Perhaps some of you out there are aware of new drugs coming down the pipeline. For the rest of you, what are your thoughts on using Abraxane/gemcitabine? Have any of you begun doing this in your practice?

References:

  1. National Cancer Institute: FDA Approval for Erlotinib Hydrochloride.
  2. Abraxane Drug Information. Pharmacology. Accessed September 25, 2013 from UpToDate.

Did you know ...

ONLY 6% OF THOSE DIAGNOSED WITH PANCREATIC CANCER SURVIVE IT?



Thursday, September 26, 2013

Pancreatic Cancer in the News

Nab-Pac Boosts Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer Survival Pharmacy Practice News
San Francisco—Nanoparticle albumin-bound (nab)-paclitaxel (Abraxane, Celgene), when given before gemcitabine therapy, extended the lives of ...
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Nutrition News: Celery to the rescue Enterprise News
Celery, artichokes and herbs, especially Mexican oregano, all contain apigenin and luteolin, flavonoids that kill human pancreatic cancer cells in the lab by ...
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VIDEO: Trae Santos Clinics; Cancer Awareness Pacific News Center
Through the kindness and generosity of our donors, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network brings hope to the pancreatic cancer community. Your donation ...
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Sideline Cancer Events Planned at Tiger Stadium WTAJ
Sideline Cancer Events Planned at Tiger Stadium ... American Cancer Society in the fight against pancreatic cancer will take place Friday night at Tiger Stadium.
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New Januvia Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed Injury Lawyer News
The decedent was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in September 2010 and died from the disease on September 24, 2012. The claim alleges that if the patient ...
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Januvia, Byetta, Janumet and Victoza Lawsuits Consolidated LawyersandSettlements.com
... unusual to consolidate lawsuits involving competing drug companies, they felt allegations about pancreatic cancer were similar enough that the lawsuits could ...
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Grandma's Marathon Event Kicks Off Saturday velonews.competitor.com
Five dollars of every entry fee plus all net proceeds will benefit the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. The pre-registration entry fee is $25 and is available thru ...
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Oswego Business Owner's Mom Diagnosed with Cancer, Business ... Patch.com
Owner April Brosett's mother, who is sometimes at the store, was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. "I am telling you this because it is going to affect ...
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Bloom still serving as an inspiration to others Ottumwacourier
13, 2011, after an 11-month battle with pancreatic cancer, the legacy she left behind still serves as a source of inspiration — and admiration — for high school ...
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Cyclacel's Sapacitabine Reported to Have Anti-Tumor Activity ... Wall Street Journal
Harmful BRCA1 mutations may additionally increase a woman's risk of developing triple-negative breast, cervical, colon, pancreatic and uterine cancer. Harmful ...
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Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Penn Medicine Researchers Harness the Immune System to Fight Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer ranks as the fourth-leading cause of cancer death in the United States, and is one of the most deadly forms of cancer, due to its resistance to standard treatments with chemotherapy and radiation therapy and frequently, its late stage at the time of diagnosis. A group of researchers led by the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine and Abramson Cancer Center, in collaboration with scientists from the University of Pittsburgh and University of Washington, published results of a clinical trial in which the standard chemotherapy drug for this disease, gemcitabine, was paired with an agonist CD40 antibody, resulting in substantial tumor regressions among some patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.  By using a novel, real-time imaging approach to monitor tumor response to the immunotherapy, the team also found differences how primary and metastatic disease sites shrank. Their work appears online this month in Clinical Cancer Research.

“We're now using imaging to understand the treatment heterogeneity that one can see in immunotherapy – not all tumors within a patient’s body react the same way, even in the face of powerful treatments, and now we have a way to follow these unique treatment responses in patients in real-time,” said lead author Gregory Beatty, MD, PhD, an assistant professor in the division of Hematology/Oncology in the Abramson Cancer Center.

The report builds on preliminary results of findings in both humans and mice published in Science in 2011. The new approach exploits an immune reaction in the microenvironment of the patient’s primary tumor by targeting an immune cell surface molecule CD40 to turn a type of white blood cell known as macrophages against the tumor by causing them to attack the stroma, the fibrotic supporting tissue of the tumor that acts as a defensive barrier to standard therapies.  The treatment ate away at this stroma, ultimately causing substantial shrinkage of some primary tumors, and affecting the metabolic activity of both primary and metastatic lesions. Of 21 patients treated with the drug combination, five patients who received at least one treatment course developed a partial response, defined as a decrease in tumor size of at least 30 percent.
The study new also measured the effectiveness of applying a new approach to FDG/PET-CT imaging, to reveal the metabolic responses of individual tumors.  FDG/PET-CT uses a radioactive glucose tracer to pinpoint glucose uptake within tumors, revealing the places where cells are metabolically active. Typically physicians and radiologists report only the maximum uptake of glucose within a tumor using this imaging technique; however, the new study showed that glucose metabolism can be quantified within individual tumors or within organs, and throughout the entire body, to provide a measure of total tumor burden.
The team found that while primary tumors seemed to respond more or less uniformly with each treatment cycle, tumors varied in their reactions to treatment. “We incorporated imaging as early as two weeks after the first dose of treatment, and we're able to see changes and responses in terms of glucose metabolism even at this early time point in treatment, which predicted how well patients would respond two months later,” Beatty says. The team hopes to apply the use of FDG/PET-CT to monitoring treatment responses during other immune-based therapies in pancreas cancer.

Click here to view the full release.