Dear Editor,
Cancer of the pancreas is always a heart-breaking diagnosis to make. Usually when we make this diagnosis, the cancer has already spread to other organs and there is little that we can offer the patient.
Last week it was announced that they discovered a special urine test which can pinpoint this cancer in its early stages, and which can lead to early investigation and to better treatment.
The researchers found that there was a triad of proteins secreted by the pancreatic cancer which is found in the urine. These three proteins are called LYVE-1, REG1A and TFF1. They are secreted only by the cancer in the pancreas and the test is 90 per cent positive.
The problem with cancer of the pancreas is that this organ lies in the abdomen, behind the other organs like the stomach, etc, and very often there are no symptoms, or very vague symptoms, and these may be common to other organs, and by the time the diagnosis is made it is often too late.
Patients who are special candidates for this test are those in a high-risk group, for example those whose relatives have had pancreatic cancer.
In the field of cancer research this has to be one of the greatest breakthroughs.
Dr Neil Persadsingh
neilpersadsingh@yahoo.com
New test for pancreatic cancer
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Cancer of the pancreas is always a heart-breaking diagnosis to make. Usually when we make this diagnosis, the cancer has already spread to other organs and there is little that we can offer the patient.
Last week it was announced that they discovered a special urine test which can pinpoint this cancer in its early stages, and which can lead to early investigation and to better treatment.
The researchers found that there was a triad of proteins secreted by the pancreatic cancer which is found in the urine. These three proteins are called LYVE-1, REG1A and TFF1. They are secreted only by the cancer in the pancreas and the test is 90 per cent positive.
The problem with cancer of the pancreas is that this organ lies in the abdomen, behind the other organs like the stomach, etc, and very often there are no symptoms, or very vague symptoms, and these may be common to other organs, and by the time the diagnosis is made it is often too late.
Patients who are special candidates for this test are those in a high-risk group, for example those whose relatives have had pancreatic cancer.
In the field of cancer research this has to be one of the greatest breakthroughs.
Dr Neil Persadsingh
neilpersadsingh@yahoo.com
New test for pancreatic cancer
-->