Malfunction and disease of the pancreas almost inevitably leads to questions about pancreatic cancer. Does a family history of pancreatic cancer increase the odds that pancreatitis may lead to cancer? If I develop EPI, will I also develop diabetes and ultimately pancreatic cancer? What if I already have both diabetes and EPI, am I twice as likely to develop pancreatic cancer? Five times as likely? The short answer: We don't really know. Nobody can predict with perfect accuracy whether or not a cancerous state will develop from a set of symptoms or conditions. And the problem with statistics is that 80% are made up on the spot ;) Everybody and every body is unique and comes with a unique set of circumstances including family history, environment, diet and lifestyle. Fear develops from missing explanations and answers which lead to uncertainties about future prognoses and life expectency.
What, in part, makes pancreatic cancer so terrifying and ultimately devastating is its relatively calm early stages coupled with a lack of routine testing for high risk populations. In general, the beginning phases of pancreatic cancer do not present with any defined diagnostic characteristics. No pain, no swelling, no palpable lumps and bumps, etc. And again, due to the location of the pancreas (tucked nicely behind the stomach), even if there were palpable masses we would not always be able to assess them. Imaging techniques in the form of MRI, ultrasound and CT scans have come a very long way in terms of resolution and diagnostic success. However, early stages of pancreatic cancer (stages I and II) are often not distinguishable because of the organs and bones which envelop the pancreas and distort visualization of the fine structure (think about looking at a flower through a window full of fingerprints, you can see its a flower but can you count how many pedals it has?). Therefore, pancreatic cancer is most commonly diagnosed in its most advanced stage (stage III), excluding options such as surgical removal or preventative care. Stage III indicates a systemic disease, typically extending beyond the confines of this tiny gland.
The fear of pancreatic cancer, even when your 'chances' seem low, is justified and not simply misplaced anxiety. But rest as easily as possible, because cancer research is one of the government's top funding priorities (President Obama signed the 21st Cenury Cures Act in 2015 - hopefully this will not be affected by current legislation) and a recent research report demonstrates a specific advancement in the detection of early stage pancreatic cancer using a simple blood test. Don't run to the doctor yet, this test is still in the 'proof of concept' phase, but a few major advantages of this test include low cost (relative to similar tests), short processing time, high accuracy and small sample volume. We are talking a sample volume comparable to having your finger pricked for a blood glucose test...just a drop!
The components which make up our blood provide a microscopic view of our overall health. A metabolic blood panel measures values of vitamins and minerals and our bodies absorb from food and supplements; a complete blood count measures the quantity and quality of red and white blood cells; our blood glucose level is measured by a blood test; the list goes on. Our organs and body systems use circulating blood to send out signaling molecules (known as extracellular vessicles) which help keep all of the processes which occur in the body in sync. If you were able to listen to the blood it would sound like a crowded stadium after the victory touchdown - loud and indecipherable. A research group from Arizona State University has developed a method which selectively 'amplifies' the presence extracellular vessicles sent out from pancreatic cancer cells (like turning up the mic at a concert). Using their technique, even when relatively few pancreatic cancer derived extracellular vessicles are in circulation (such as in the very early stages of disease), visualization of the signaling molecules provides support for a rapid and early diagnosis. The visualization of the cells occurs with the help of gold nanoparticles, conveniently tagged with a targeting antibody that binds to a specific overexpressed surface protein on the cancer derived vessicle. Think about a puzzle piece which only has one match out of millions of possibilities - that's how well designed the antibody/antigen for this test is. With the gold nanoparticles attached (two separate nanoparticles - one nanosphere and one nanorod) each tagged cell will light up - mapping out the presence and quantity of pancreatic cancer derived cells in the blood. This is almost like intercepting a secret message reading its contents in order to prevent further damage - think of Alan Turing breaking the enigma code.
Blood tests for cancer markers are certainly not new technology, nor is the use of gold nanoparticles as diagnostic tools. However, this demonstrated use of gold nanoparticles allows for the possibility of a routine screening method for high risk populations, whether through family history or isolated pancreatic disease. With all forms of cancer and illness, early detection is key, and with pancreatic cancer, may mean the difference between 5 years and 50 years. That's a lot of life to be lived.
The components which make up our blood provide a microscopic view of our overall health. A metabolic blood panel measures values of vitamins and minerals and our bodies absorb from food and supplements; a complete blood count measures the quantity and quality of red and white blood cells; our blood glucose level is measured by a blood test; the list goes on. Our organs and body systems use circulating blood to send out signaling molecules (known as extracellular vessicles) which help keep all of the processes which occur in the body in sync. If you were able to listen to the blood it would sound like a crowded stadium after the victory touchdown - loud and indecipherable. A research group from Arizona State University has developed a method which selectively 'amplifies' the presence extracellular vessicles sent out from pancreatic cancer cells (like turning up the mic at a concert). Using their technique, even when relatively few pancreatic cancer derived extracellular vessicles are in circulation (such as in the very early stages of disease), visualization of the signaling molecules provides support for a rapid and early diagnosis. The visualization of the cells occurs with the help of gold nanoparticles, conveniently tagged with a targeting antibody that binds to a specific overexpressed surface protein on the cancer derived vessicle. Think about a puzzle piece which only has one match out of millions of possibilities - that's how well designed the antibody/antigen for this test is. With the gold nanoparticles attached (two separate nanoparticles - one nanosphere and one nanorod) each tagged cell will light up - mapping out the presence and quantity of pancreatic cancer derived cells in the blood. This is almost like intercepting a secret message reading its contents in order to prevent further damage - think of Alan Turing breaking the enigma code.
Blood tests for cancer markers are certainly not new technology, nor is the use of gold nanoparticles as diagnostic tools. However, this demonstrated use of gold nanoparticles allows for the possibility of a routine screening method for high risk populations, whether through family history or isolated pancreatic disease. With all forms of cancer and illness, early detection is key, and with pancreatic cancer, may mean the difference between 5 years and 50 years. That's a lot of life to be lived.
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