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Pancreatic Cancer ‘Time Machine’ Reveals Heterogeneous Nature of the Disease

A pancreatic cancer “time machine” has revealed that the disease is even more unpredictable than previously thought: Cancer cells promote each other’s invasiveness when they grow together, according to a paper recently published in Small. Researchers led by Stephen Konieczny, PhD, professor of biological sciences at Purdue University, and Bumsoo Han, PhD, professor of biomedical...
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Olaparib Approved in the US as a First-Line Maintenance Treatment of Germline BRCA-mutated Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer

The country was saddened to learn over the weekend that Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), the legendary Civil Rights activist, was being treated for stage four pancreatic cancer. “While I am clear-eyed about the prognosis, doctors have told me that recent medical advances have made this type of cancer treatable in many cases, that treatment options...
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High Blood Sugar Increases Pancreatic Cancer Rate

High fasting glucose levels may increase the risk of pancreatic cancer, according to a study recently published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Researchers led by Cheol-Young Park, MD, PhD, of Kangbuk Samsung Hospital in Seoul, Korea, point out that a recent case-control study showed that patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer had hyperglycemia...
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Volanesorsen Shown to Reduce Triglyceride Levels in Patients with Severe Hypertriglyceridemia

Last month, our team presented data showing apolipoprotein C-III (apoC-III) inhibition with a RNA-targeted antisense therapy called volanesorsen effectively lowered triglycerides in patients with hypertriglyceridemia by 70%. This data was presented today at the National Lipid Association annual meeting in Philadelphia. Volanesorsen is designed to reduce the production of apoC-III, a protein produced in the...
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Pancreas Donors: A Key to a Diabetes Cure?

pancreas-donor If you haven’t heard of the JDRF Network for the Pancreatic Organ Donors with Diabetes aka nPOD, you will. nPOD is not just a research lab or a clearing house for pancreas tissue from donors with diabetes, it’s on the front lines to finding a cure. Last December, during the International Diabetes Federation World Diabetes...
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FCS Support Group Launched

A group of concerned patients and care providers for a rare disease have announced the formation of the first-ever organization dedicated to providing education and support for people living with familial chylomicronemia syndrome (FCS), a rare and potentially life-threatening genetic lipid disorder. The FCS Foundation will provide a range of educational materials and support services...
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A New Hope? Reevaluating Pancreatectomy for Chronic Pancreatitis

Once considered a “last resort” in patients with chronic pancreatitis, a new study shows that a total pancreatectomy with islet autotransplantation, sooner rather than later, can stave off the onset of diabetes and improve quality of life. A diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis (CP) once doomed a patient to significantly diminished quality of life (QOL) at...