Cancer Survivor Calls For Research On Pancreatic Cancer
Introduction
Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest forms of cancer, but it’s also one of the least researched. There have been a few recent developments in research on this disease, though. Frederick Lee Marquez is a pancreatic cancer survivor and executive director of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PCAN). He was diagnosed with the disease in 2004 and has been living with it ever since; however, that doesn’t mean he can’t do anything about it! He says: “I’m not going to let this disease define who I am.”
Frederick Lee Marquez, 55, is a pancreatic cancer survivor.
Frederick Lee Marquez, 55, is a pancreatic cancer survivor. He was diagnosed with the disease in 2004 and has been living with it for 12 years. Mr. Marquez became aware of his diagnosis while taking part in a clinical trial at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Cancer Center as part of his medical training to become an oncologist himself. He continued his postgraduate studies and completed his medical degree in 2001 but never forgot about the need for research funding into pancreatic cancer–because he felt that if we didn’t find a cure soon enough, he would be one of the victims to succumb to this devastating disease before long; he was right!
He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2004 and has been living with it for 12 years.
You may know him as the guy who created the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, or you might have met him at one of our events. But if you don’t know Michael Morrow, then I’m about to introduce you to someone who has been fighting for pancreatic cancer research for over a decade.
In 2004 he was diagnosed with this deadly disease at age 36 and has been living with it ever since. Even after 12 years of battling this illness, his commitment to finding a cure remains strong as ever. And so does his passion for helping others who are going through what he’s gone through too—which makes him an excellent advocate not only for funding but also awareness!
Since then, he’s become the executive director of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.
Since then, he’s become the executive director of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PCAN), a nonprofit organization that works to raise awareness and promote research funding for the disease.
“We’re working on all fronts,” says Mr. Pajak, who lives in Dunwoody, Georgia. “There’s no silver bullet.” Mr. Pajak points out that while there is more funding than ever before for pancreatic cancer research, this is not enough to keep up with the challenges posed by new treatments and technologies like gene therapy.”It’s not just about money,” he says. “It’s also about education and awareness.”
Pancreatic cancer is the third deadliest type of cancer and has an exceptionally low survival rate.
Pancreatic cancer is the third deadliest type of cancer, with only lung and breast cancers having higher mortality rates. Of all people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, only 6% will survive five years or longer. In fact, it’s estimated that nearly half of patients will die within one year after being diagnosed—making it one of the most difficult diseases to treat successfully.
The key reason behind this grim prognosis? Pancreatic cancer is often caught in late stages when treatment options are limited and survival rates are poor. The sad fact is that there hasn’t been a great deal done to improve treatments for this disease because so little research has been conducted on its causes or potential cures (and there’s no reliable screening method).
Pancreatic cancer is often caught in late stages, as symptoms don’t always show until then.
One of the most common symptoms is pain in your upper abdomen that doesn’t go away. But you may also not have any symptoms at all, so it’s important to get screened for early detection.
Pancreatic cancer is often caught in late stages, as symptoms don’t always show until then. If you’re experiencing any pancreatic cancer symptoms but aren’t sure what they mean, talk with your doctor about getting tested for it—and if you’ve been diagnosed with this disease and care for someone else who has it, we can help you find resources that will support you both through treatment and recovery.
The survival rate for pancreatic cancer patients is 7%.
Pancreatic cancer is the third deadliest type of cancer, only trailing behind lung and colorectal cancers. In fact, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), only 7% of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer survive for five years or more after their diagnosis. This poor survival rate is largely due to the fact that pancreatic cancer is often caught in late stages because it doesn’t have any symptoms until it has metastasized—or spread throughout the body—which makes treatment difficult.
According to the American Cancer Society, there will be more than 54,000 new cases of pancreatic cancer this year and more than 43,000 deaths due to the disease.
In the United States, pancreatic cancer is the third deadliest type of cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, there will be more than 54,000 new cases of pancreatic cancer this year and more than 43,000 deaths due to the disease.
The low survival rate does not mean that everyone with pancreatic cancer dies; rather, it refers to how long someone can expect to survive after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The five-year survival rate for patients with localized disease (meaning their tumor was found only in one place) is about 20%, while those whose disease has spread through their body have about 5% chance of surviving for five years. A person’s chances of living five years are better if they’re younger at diagnosis—for example, men under 40 have a 40% chance—or if they’re Hispanic or African American instead of white or Asian—their survival rates are 10% vs 7%.
Scientists have only just recently begun to understand the molecular drivers behind pancreatic cancer.
Scientists have only recently begun to understand the molecular drivers behind pancreatic cancer.
This has been due to a lack of funding and resources. Research on this type of cancer has also been slow, which is why it’s taken so long for scientists to realize that there are some similarities between pancreatic and other cancers. Recent developments have been promising though—scientists believe they can use what they’ve learned from studying other types of cancer along with their own research on pancreatic cancer to find a cure or treatment in the near future.
The research on this type of cancer has been slow due to a lack of funding and resources.
But what he and other pancreatic cancer survivors want you to know is that this type of cancer research has been slow due to a lack of funding and resources.
“The research on this type of cancer has been slow due to a lack of funding and resources,” said Folta. “The most important thing people can do today is donate money for research.”
Folta’s organization, The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCan), recently partnered with immunotherapy company Bristol-Myers Squibb for an ongoing clinical trial comparing two treatment options for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer: standard chemotherapy versus an experimental combination therapy including nivolumab (Opdivo).
Research on immunotherapy is now underway thanks to generous donations and new federal funding.
Cancer immunotherapy is one of the most promising areas of research today, and it’s been instrumental in helping people with pancreatic cancer.
Despite the progress being made, we still need more funding for further studies on this particular type of therapy—and that’s where you can help. The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) is working to raise money for more immunotherapies and other treatments that could potentially benefit patients like you.
If you want to donate or learn more about their work, visit pancan.org/donate or call 855-550-6789 today!
While research on pancreatic cancer may have been slow, recent developments have been promising.
While research on pancreatic cancer may have been slow, recent developments have been promising. Thanks to generous donations and new federal funding, immunotherapy—a form of treatment that uses the body’s immune system to target cancer cells—has now become a realistic option for patients. Scientists have also only just recently begun to understand the molecular drivers behind pancreatic cancer and other types of malignancies. While this type of research has traditionally been slow going thanks to a lack of funding and resources, it is finally gaining momentum due to increased public awareness about the need for further study.
Donations are needed so that researchers can learn more about this disease and save lives in the future.
I encourage you to support the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and other organizations that work toward a cure for pancreatic cancer. As we learn more about this disease, we can use that knowledge to improve the lives of people who are fighting it right now.
I’m not asking for anything more than your time and money. I only ask that you make an effort in some way to help fight this disease so that others don’t have to go through what my family has been through.
Conclusion
Pancreatic cancer is an incredibly deadly disease, and the people who are diagnosed with it don’t have much time to live. But there is hope for those who want to live longer than just a few months after diagnosis. Thanks to the hard work of researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Drs. Daniel vesenmayer and Joseph Schwaibold have developed a promising new treatment that could potentially revolutionize how we treat pancreatic cancer patients in the future.