Written by Kathryn E. Hitchcock, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of radiation oncology

Recent developments in radiation oncology have made radiotherapy for pancreatic cancer more effective and easier on the body. An improved technique called image-guided radiotherapy uses a low-dose CT scan at the time of each daily treatment to verify that the computer model of the patient’s body is perfectly aligned to her position. This ensures that the radiation beams will be delivered accurately, protecting the normal tissues from unnecessary damage. It’s especially important in the case of internal organs like the pancreas that can move quite a bit from day to day. READ MORE

Contributed to by Lisa Brown, M.S., certified genetic counselor at UF Health

“In 2018, genetic testing guidelines were updated to recommend that all patients with pancreatic cancer be offered genetic counseling and testing,” said Lisa Brown, M.S., a certified genetic counselor at UF Health. “These changes were created by the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network in response to multiple recent studies linking diagnosed pancreatic cancer patients with an increased risk of hereditary cancer, regardless of their family history.” READ MORE

Contributed to by Jose Trevino, M.D., associate professor of surgery in the UF College of Medicine

Pancreatic cancer will affect more than 56,000 adults in the United States this year. Of these individuals diagnosed, incidence rates are 25% for higher for black patients compared to others. On the other end of the spectrum, according to the National Cancer Database, the Latino population tends to have better outcomes than both black and white patients in regards to this disease. READ MORE

Contributed to by Thomas George, M.D., FACP, a clinical investigator at the UF Health Cancer Center

“At UF Health, our pancreatic cancer team remains committed to delivering high quality, personalized patient care, while serving as a source of hope for patients and their families,” said Thomas George, M.D., FACP, a clinical investigator at the UF Health Cancer Center. “Pancreatic cancer is a rigorous disease, but our team consists of leaders in the field who are dedicated to developing new treatment and therapy options through clinical research.” READ MORE

Contributed to by Steven Hughes, M.D., chief of the division of surgical oncology at University of Florida Health

“Perhaps the greatest challenge pancreatic cancer patients face today is the misconception that there is no hope after diagnosis,” Hughes said. “National statistics show that as many as 40% of patients with early pancreatic cancer that are candidates for surgery never even see a surgeon. We must alter this perception.” READ MORE

Written by Brian Ramnaraign, M.D., assistant professor of medicine in the division of hematology and oncology at the UF College of Medicine

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors accompany a rare form of pancreatic cancer that account for only 1-2% of all pancreatic tumors. I usually tell my patients that this is the type of pancreatic cancer that Steve Jobs had, unlike the more common pancreatic adenocarcinoma, which is the type of pancreatic cancer that actor Patrick Swayze had.

Some pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors can produce excess hormones that can lead to high or low blood sugar, acid reflux and indigestion or diarrhea. However most pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors do not, and are known as nonfunctional. Almost half of these tumors are found incidentally, meaning the patient had no symptoms, but was undergoing treatment for another condition or issue when it was found. READ MORE