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New Hope for Pancreatic Cancer

By U.S. News & World Report

Cancer can be dreadful and devastating; however, the last 50 years have been filled with remarkable progress in detection and treatment. These advances have translated to people conquering what was once thought of as a death sentence and more individuals living longer than ever before.

Certain cancers, however — like pancreatic cancer — continue to impact more than 50,000 Americans each year and remain difficult to treat.

A Pancreatic Cancer Primer

Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in our country. Approximately 1 in 65 men and women are at risk of this cancer. Once diagnosed, only 20 percent of people survive longer than one year.

Why is this cancer so lethal, you may ask? Pancreatic cancer is deadly because it is difficult to detect early and often presents in the advanced stages. The pancreas lies deep between the stomach and the spine, making it difficult to access for treatment and providing an easy pathway to spread quickly to nearby organs. In addition, these cancers can also employ multiple strategies to resist treatment.

Even novel treatments like immunotherapies, which aim to boost the body’s immune system and have been effective in improving outcomes for people with lung cancer, kidney cancer and melanoma, continue to be ineffective in treating pancreatic cancer. Pre-clinical research has now revealed strategies to potentially tip this balance in our favor and improve outcomes for our patients.

[See: 7 Innovations in Cancer Therapy.]

The Latest Research in How to Combat This Deadly Disease

As chief resident in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Montefiore Einstein Center for Cancer Care and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, I have conducted research in the lab of Dr. Chandan Guha, who is the Director of the Einstein Institute of Oncophysics and Vice Chairman and Director of Translational Research in the Department of Radiation Oncology. Our work has focused on improving immune responses of tumors using novel treatment combinations involving high-dose radiation.

We applied this technique to pancreatic cancer in a series of pre-clinical studies with encouraging preliminary results, which we were excited to present just last week at the 58th Annual Meeting at the American Society for Radiation Oncology, the research meeting of the leading professional association in radiation oncology dedicated to improving patient care.

During the meeting, we showcased our pre-clinical results about “priming” a pancreatic tumor with a drug known as a histone deacetylase inhibitor, a compound with a history of use in blood related cancers, combined with radiation treatment. In cell culture and our mouse models, this regimen made the tumor cells more recognizable to the immune system and more likely to have a positive immune response.

We are now investigating this regimen with immunotherapy to gauge if we can reverse the previous trend of poor responses in pancreatic cancer.

What’s Next?

We were very pleased by the excitement around this pre-clinical study and the favorable response to it from our colleagues at ASTRO. As we begin to move closer to conducting clinical trials, we believe that combination therapies, including epigenetic priming as we described, may present a promising strategy for treating a difficult disease and may represent future hope for those suffering from pancreatic cancer.

We encourage anyone diagnosed with pancreatic cancer to learn more about clinical trials for which they may be eligible and the associated risks and benefits. These trials may represent an opportunity to access the latest treatment options and partner with doctors to learn better ways to help our patients.

[See: 10 Lessons From Empowered Patients.]

Knowing the Risk Factors for Pancreatic Cancer

There remains no effective screening tool for pancreatic cancer, and general awareness of this disease is vital.

Pancreatic cancer incidence increases as we age. The majority of cases, both in men and women, develop between ages 60 and 80. Diabetes appears to be a risk factor, as is smoking and having a diet that is high in meat and cholesterol. Symptoms can include fatigue, pain in the upper abdomen or unexplained jaundice; however, they tend to not be prevalent until the cancer is more advanced. We encourage patients to speak with their doctors about their concerns, especially if there is a family history of cancer.

[See: 16 Health Screenings All Women Need.]

Important Resources

To continue to improve awareness of pancreatic cancer symptoms and the latest pancreatic cancer news and clinical trials, below are some of my favorite online resources from leading government and patient advocacy and education organizations:

— American Cancer Society: facts and figures about cancer, as well as links to local resources and clinical trials.

— National Cancer Institute: accurate and up-to-date information from the U.S. government’s principal agency for cancer research.

— Pancreatic Cancer Action Network: provides support, resources, volunteer opportunities and hope for people fighting pancreatic cancer.

More from U.S. News

7 Innovations in Cancer Therapy

Breast Pain? Stop Worrying About Cancer

7 Things You Didn’t Know About Lung Cancer

New Hope for Pancreatic Cancer originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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