Blog

115 Articles

pancreatic cancer patient Susan Zbacnik and her husband
Survivor Stories
August 1, 2017 • 6 Min

Taking Nothing For Granted

After Whipple surgery and chemoradiation, Susan Zbacnik had molecular profiling, genetic testing, and joined an Immunotherapy clinical trial.

Dr. Luis Diaz
Research
July 14, 2017 • 5 Min

An Immunotherapy Game Changer

Immunotherapy with Keytruda (pembrolizumab) is approved for use in cancer patients with certain genetic defects in their tumors.

Dr. Margaret Tempero
Research
June 23, 2017 • 4 Min

Targeted Therapy for Pancreatic Cancer

Dr. Margaret Tempero outlines the work being done in the area of targeted therapy for pancreatic cancer, specifically the testing of ibrutinib.

Dr. Joseph Herman
Research
June 7, 2017 • 5 Min

Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) for Select Pancreatic Cancer Patients

Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is increasingly being used to treat locally advanced pancreatic cancer, and make it surgically removable.

Dr. Erkut Borazanci
Research
March 31, 2017 • 4 Min

Clinical Trial of Immunotherapy Plus Sunshine Vitamin May Help in Pancreatic Cancer Fight

Can vitamin D make it easier for chemotherapy drugs to reach the pancreatic cancer tumor? A clinical trial is testing this idea.

Microscope image of a cross section of circular pancreas cells with lighter centers, stained pink
Research
March 23, 2017 • 2 Min

Two Types of Immunotherapy for Surgically Removable Pancreatic Cancer

A clinical trial compares the effectiveness of two different types of immunotherapy with standard treatment after pancreatic cancer surgery.

Four test tubes with open caps in a blue rack; liquid is being poured into one tube.
Research
February 9, 2017 • 2 Min

Testing Standard Treatment Plus an Antibody to Shrink Pancreatic Tumors

Researchers are testing whether adding a monoclonal antibody to standard chemotherapy will make locally advanced pancreatic cancer qualify for surgery.

Pancreatic cancer survivor Kathleen Dowell and her doctors
Survivor Stories
February 1, 2017 • 2 Min

A Pancreatic Vaccine Clinical Trial Worked for Me

Kathleen Dowell was worried that her pancreatic cancer treatment would not work so she enrolled in a pancreatic cancer vaccine trial.

Close-up image of the top of a centrifuge, over the central axis
Research
January 2, 2017 • 2 Min

Testing Targeted Immunotherapy Against Pancreatic Cancer

Targeted immunotherapy is the focus of a clinical trial that tests the drug ibrutinib, approved for leukemia treatment, against pancreatic cancer.

Cancer Moonshot meeting with Vice President Joe Biden and President Barack Obama
Research
December 30, 2016 • 4 Min

The Cancer Moonshot

Dr. Elizabeth Jaffee of Johns Hopkins is part of the Cancer Moonshot’s Blue Ribbon Panel, and she explains the goals of the program.

White gloved hands of a lab worker filling a pipette
Research
November 21, 2016 • 4 Min

Immunotherapy Treatments Provide Hope to Pancreatic Cancer Patients

Dr. Robert Vonderheide of the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania describes immunotherapy trials for pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer patient Pat Theobald
Survivor Stories
November 16, 2016 • 3 Min

Education, Clinical Trials, and Advocacy

Pat Theobald lost her mother to pancreatic cancer, so when she received the same diagnosis she knew to start treatment with a clinical trial.

microscope slide of Pancreas cross section embedded in paraffin wax, stained lavender, 10x magnification,
Research
November 11, 2016 • 2 Min

Immunotherapy to Help Shrink Pancreatic Tumors for Surgery

Researchers are looking at adding checkpoint drugs–a type of immunotherapy–to standard chemoradiation to shrink pancreatic cancer for surgery.

Pasteur pipettes in a circle
Research
November 8, 2016 • 4 Min

BRCA’s Role in Pancreatic Cancer Investigated

The relationship between BRCA and pancreatic cancer, and how that affects treatment, is the focus of clinical trials looking at PARP inhibitors.

Pancreatic cancer patient Richard Valdes
Survivor Stories
October 26, 2016 • 4 Min

Buying Time for Another Clinical Trial

Richard Valdes has alternated standard pancreatic cancer treatments with clinical trials of immunotherapy and a pancreatic vaccine during his treatment.