COLUMBUS, Ohio. (Ivanhoe Newswire) – About 64,000 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this year, and over 50,000 will die from it. Health experts say it’s a hard cancer to cure because it doesn’t respond well to standard chemotherapy. Researchers are testing a new therapy for patients with pancreatic and other cancers fueled by a genetic mutation. Basket trial
Donna and Bob Baioni grew up in the same small town. Donna says they couldn’t stand each other in grade school. But at age 16, something changed, and now, they’ve been married 56 years. Right after their 50th wedding anniversary celebration, Bob started having abdominal and back pain that wouldn’t go away.
“Next thing I know, I’ve got pancreatic cancer diagnosis,” he says.
Bob had surgery. Even after multiple rounds of chemo, the cancer came back. He had no energy and started missing family events, like his granddaughter’s graduation.
That’s when Bob’s doctor referred him to The Ohio State University medical oncologist and researcher, Sameek Roychowdhury, MD, who determined that Bob had a rare FGFR mutation fueling his cancer. Dr. Roychowdhury and his colleagues were looking at new treatments for patients with the same mutation, in what’s called a basket trial.
“It’s a basket because we’re allowing patients with different cancer types to join the trial. So, uterus cancer, cancer of the head and neck,” Dr. Roychowdhury explains.
Patients on the trial take a pill for two or three weeks, with a one week break.
Dr. Roychowdhury mentions, “These drugs are smart drugs, so, they’re designed to go right after the FGFR gene.”
The treatment isn’t a cure but Bob’s cancer has stopped growing.
His wife Donna adds, “Maybe it might not go away, but he’s stable.”
The Ohio State researchers are also hoping to enroll patients for a trial that is specific to pancreatic cancer patients with the FGFR gene mutation. It will be a telemedicine-enabled trial, meaning they’ll be accepting patients nationwide, and following them through virtual appointments. The researchers are hoping to have approval to proceed by the end of the summer.
Contributors to this news report include: Cyndy McGrath, Producer; Kirk Manson, Videographer; Roque Correa, Editor.
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Sources:
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/pancreatic-cancer/about/key-statistics.html
Dr. Sameek Roychowdhury
MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS
RESEARCH SUMMARY
TOPIC: BASKET TRIAL: CONTROLLING CANCER CELL SPREAD
REPORT: MB #5212
BACKGROUND: Pancreatic cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the pancreas, an organ located behind the stomach that produces enzymes to aid in digestion and hormones to regulate blood sugar levels. Unfortunately, pancreatic cancer is often difficult to detect early on, which can make it challenging to treat. The rate of new cases of pancreatic cancer is about 13 per 100,000 men and women per year. There are an estimated 50,550 deaths to take place in 2023. The survival rate is 12.5 percent for five years. The most common type of pancreatic cancer is adenocarcinoma, which starts in the cells that line the ducts of the pancreas. Other types of pancreatic cancer include neuroendocrine tumors and acinar cell carcinomas.
(Source: https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/pancreas.html)
DIAGNOSING: Symptoms of pancreatic cancer may include abdominal pain or discomfort, unexplained weight loss, yellowing of the skin and eyes, nausea and vomiting, and changes in bowel movements. Diagnosis of pancreatic cancer usually involves imaging tests such as CT scans or MRIs, as well as blood tests and biopsies. Treatment options depend on the stage and location of the cancer, but may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or a combination of these approaches. Unfortunately, pancreatic cancer is often diagnosed at a late stage when it has already spread to other parts of the body, making it more difficult to treat.
(Sources: https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/pancreas.html
NEW TECHNOLOGY: Dr. Sameek Roychowdhury is a medical oncologist and researcher. He is a leading expert in precision medicine and is known for his work on the Basket Trial, a groundbreaking approach to cancer treatment that involves testing the effectiveness of drugs on multiple types of cancer that share a specific genetic mutation. Roychowdhury’s work on the Basket Trial has focused on identifying and targeting genetic mutations that are present in multiple types of cancer, rather than treating each cancer type as a separate disease. This approach has led to important discoveries about the genetic basis of cancer and has resulted in the development of new treatments for certain types of cancer.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS REPORT, PLEASE CONTACT:
Amanda Harper
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