Pancreatic cancer tumours...

[Shwa]

I am posting this for several reasons. One, this is an amazing breakthrough. Two, for those of us pushing towards the target screening age (50+). Three, pancreatic cancer has killed a few people I know, including my Dad 22 years ago. Pop was diagnosed and three months later was dead. The problem with this type of cancer is by the time they diagnose it, you are a goner.

So there is a real potential to detect pancreatic cancer early and hopefully they get those tests on-line as soon as possible.

Pancreatic cancer tumours take more than a decade to develop, study shows

People rarely find out they have pancreatic cancer before they start to show symptoms, and by the time they become jaundiced or experience back or abdominal pain, it is usually too late. Only 15 to 20 per cent of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer survive a year past diagnosis, according to Pancreatic Cancer Canada. And just 6 per cent make it to five years.

Iacobuzio-Donahue says the general public could one day be screened for pancreatic cancer, beginning at a certain age, possibly 50. Such a program would ideally start with a blood test to look for key indicators such as mutations in the K-Ras gene, which 98 per cent of pancreatic cancer patients have.

Individuals with the K-Ras mutation are likely to develop colon, lung or pancreatic cancer, which could be ruled out one by one with colonoscopies, chest x-rays and ultrasounds, respectively.

[guyser]

One, this is an amazing breakthrough. Two, for those of us pushing towards the target screening age (50+). Three, pancreatic cancer has killed a few people I know, including my Dad 22 years ago. Pop was diagnosed and three months later was dead. The problem with this type of cancer is by the time they diagnose it, you are a goner.

It is amazing, however it is a double edged sword.

If they can test for it early , life insurance co's can cancel any pending renewal and that can be a severe blow.

These breakthroughs while all good in the long term, our ethics and the laws have not caught up to them yet.

[Pliny]

Did you see the Nature of Things documentary on heliobactal pylori?

In that documentary it stated that treatment for that bacteria had cured some stomach and pancreatic cancers. I thought that was a breakthrough but I haven't heard anything about it since and that was more than five years ago.

Perhaps David Suzuki announced it prematurely or maybe he was entirely wrong in making the claim.

Edited December 12, 2010 by Pliny

[wyly]

It is amazing, however it is a double edged sword.

If they can test for it early , life insurance co's can cancel any pending renewal and that can be a severe blow.

These breakthroughs while all good in the long term, our ethics and the laws have not caught up to them yet.

and which will add to the overall cost of healthcare, screening/treatment=$$$$...not saying this isn't a good thing but people need to realize living longer comes with a price for all of us...

[Shwa]

and which will add to the overall cost of healthcare, screening/treatment=$$$$...not saying this isn't a good thing but people need to realize living longer comes with a price for all of us...

Well damn.

However, in my defence, I did produce quite a few tax paying kids, so I'm covered.