Pancreatic Disorders News

SAN FRANCISCO — Among patients with resected pancreatic cancer, overall survival was significantly better when adjuvant therapy was performed at a high-volume center rather than by a community oncologist, according to data presented at the Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium.

In a retrospective analysis, 17% of patients who experienced an acute pancreatitis for the first time developed recurrent pancreatitis, and nearly 8% of the patients progressed to chronic pancreatitis within the next 5 years. 

In a retrospective matched-cohort study, researchers found pregnancy to be a risk factor for developing post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis.

Recurrent acute and chronic pancreatitis in children are associated with high disease burden and health care costs related to repeat hospitalizations, according to two studies recently published in the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition.

Sampling portal venous blood via endoscopic ultrasound was found to be safe and feasible for counting circulating tumor cells in patients with pancreaticobiliary cancers, which may prove to be a valuable tool in diagnosing and guiding treatment for these cancers, according to recent study data.

Researchers developed a composite panel of molecular markers and clinical features that may help to classify pancreatic cysts and differentiate between those that are harmless and those that are precancerous, requiring surgery.

HONOLULU — Study data suggest that urban African Americans are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma at a younger age and are less likely to receive treatment, according to a presenter at ACG 2015.

HONOLULU — Fully-covered, self-expandable metal stents; uncovered self-expandable metal stents; and plastic stents were similar in effectiveness for pancreatic adenocarcinoma and cost, according to a plenary presentation at ACG 2015.

A recent pilot trial demonstrated that pentoxifylline was well tolerated and improved outcomes in patients with severe acute pancreatitis.

Researchers have developed a three-biomarker panel that can detect early-stage pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma through urine analysis, which could lead to a noninvasive screening test for high-risk individuals.