In Kimmel Cancer Center director Bill Nelson's podcast, top stories included studies on pancreatic, colon and kidney cancer.
A study on pancreatic cancer by scientists at Johns Hopkins yielded surprising results on a timeline for the development and spread of pancreatic cancer, contradicting the idea that the disease spreads very early. Results of another study on pancreatic cancer show, as Nelson describes, "how genes get more messed up" as time goes along.
Research on a colon cancer drug, cetuximab, shows that the gene-targeting drug is more likely to work in patients with a certain type of mutation in the "ras" gene. One set of mutations in the ras gene is different from others, and it shows, according to Nelson, that "all mutations are not created equal."
Finally, Nelson reviews a study of a new drug for kidney cancer, called Everolimus. He says that the drug may be added to the arsenal of weapons against the disease, and scientists may begin studying it in combination with other drugs.
Program notes:
0:11 Two studies on pancreas cancers
0:44 Looking at all the genetic changes that take place
1:24 Can detect early and treat?
2:11 Took quite a bit of time to develop and spread
3:02 Who needs surgery alone?
3:57 Colon cancer and ras
4:36 These people did not benefit from cetuximab
5:14 About a quarter of these DO respond
6:03 Centers of excellence critically important to cancer care
6:41 Everolimus and treatment of kidney cancer
7:50 Targets a specific pathway
8:11 Will be an addition to the arsenal
8:42 End