Prognosis for Pancreatic Cancer
Despite the many recent advances in cancer treatment , pancreatic cancer remains difficult to treat. There are several reasons for this, including tumor-related issues (i.e., low chemotherapy sensitivity, early metastasis, and low likelihood of resection at time of presentation) and treatment-related issues (i.e., limited effective chemotherapy drugs, non-optimal use of available treatments, severe side effects, and poor rate of participation in clinical trials).
There are many new and exciting avenues of therapy that are being studied, ranging from gene therapy to monoclonal antibodies to new combinations of chemotherapy drugs. Some of these experimental treatments may prove to be beneficial, and others may not provide significant improvement over today's therapies. Clinical trials are very important parts of pancreatic cancer research. Patients should speak with a physician about available clinical trials. Further research may provide more information about the causes for cancer of the pancreas and may lead to more effective preventive measures.
Physician-developed and -monitored.
Original Date of Publication: 15 Aug 1999
Reviewed by: Stanley J. Swierzewski, III, M.D.
Last Reviewed: 15 May 2008
Pancreatic Cancer, Prognosis for Pancreatic Cancer reprinted with permission from oncologychannel.com
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