Clair: Email Responses

Dear All

this is the first one I had from MD Anderson Centre (I hope the links come up ok):-

1. WHAT PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE WITH REGARD TO PANCREATIC CANCER IN THE LAST YEAR?

For information about the progress in treatment for pancreatic cancer, you may be interested in listening/reading M. D. Anderson's Patient Power Webcast. The webcast topics focus on the latest cancer treatment, prevention and things to help make decisions about cancer. To listen to the webcast entitled " Advances in the Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer," please visit our website at:

http://www.mdanderson.org/publications/patient-power/episodes/2008/pancreatic-cancer-treatment-webcast.html

Select the method in which you wish to retrieve the information.

2. WHAT CLINICAL TRIALS ARE YOU EXCITED ABOUT AND CAN YOU GIVE ME THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA?

We have several clinical trials at M. D. Anderson for pancreatic cancer. To view the clinical trials currently underway for pancreatic cancer, please go to our website at:

http://www.mdanderson.org/patient-and-cancer-information/cancer-information/clinical-trials/clinical-trials-at-md-anderson/index.html

1. click on "View Studies by Cancer Type"

2. click on "Pancreas"

When you click on the individual trial, this will give you a list of the inclusion and exclusion criteria your husband will have to meet to qualify. Any enrollment eligibility should be discussed with a physician.

Anyone interested in participating in a clinical trial at M. D. Anderson must be a registered patient here.

3. I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SPEAK ABOUT RESEARCH INVOLVING TURMERIC AND WONDERED IF YOU COULD GIVE ME SOME MORE INFORMATION ON THIS.

The research is actually being conducted with curcumin, the main ingredient in the spice turmeric. Dr. Bharat Aggarwal, PhD., a research doctor in our Experimental Therapeutics Department, has suggested the following general dosage information. Per Dr. Aggarwal, "...According to one of the Phase I studies, curcumin was found to be safe in human subjects even when consumed up to 8 grams per day for three months. In spite of it, one is recommended to take low dose 500 mg/day to higher dose, if needed, gradually. Look for signs of both potential toxicity and improvement by talking to your body and to your doctor..."

Curcumin is administered orally in tablets, pills, capsules and liquid forms. According to Dr. Aggarwal, "...current knowledge indicates that curcumin in any of these forms is OK. One report suggests that it is more effective if taken in the morning. Even fresh turmeric root, which contains

3 percent to 5 percent curcumin, is helpful."

Dr. Aggarwal advises that when buying curcumin, one should be careful to purchase genuine curcumin. He suggests that you may wish to contact the Sabinsa Corporation which he has determined manufactures a genuine curcumin product. You can find more about this company on their website http://www.sabinsa.com/. Their product, however, is distributed by America's Finest Inc. which can be reached at 800-350-3305, or online at http://www.afisupplements.com/.

Please note that all patient's should discuss any alternative treatments with their current physician in detail before starting any other supplement or vitamin. These therapies may interfere with or have a negative effect on other medications or treatments that they patient may be receiving.

CIMER

You may also find the information on our Complementary/Integrative Medicine Educational Resource (CIMER) site helpful. This site reviews various therapies, including curcumin. It is important to note that these therapies are not necessarily being endorsed by M. D. Anderson, but the reviews are there as an educational resource only. To view more information about curcumin, please go to our website at:

http://www.mdanderson.org/education-and-research/resources-for-professionals/clinical-tools-and-resources/cimer/index.html

We also have conducted a clinical trial using curcumin for pancreatic patients. The trial is currently closed to new patient enrollment. However, if you would like to view information about this trial, please visit our website at:

http://utm-ext01a.mdacc.tmc.edu/dept/prot/clinicaltrialswp.nsf/Index/ID03-0009

And this is from ESMO who rang the conference in Barcelona

You can download some of the presentations that were given at the conference at : http://www.worldgicancer.com/WCGI/wgic2009/WGIC2009/sp.html

I have also emailed them and asked them to send me all the presentations on the gastrointestinal session and am awaiting a response.

With regard to my other emails, I know some of them have been read (put read-receipts on), don't know if I'll get responses, maybe should have sent them earlier, some people may already be off on their xmas hols.

Clair

Wow, Clair, Well done! It's amazing that these doctors make time to respond to our enquiries and thank you so much for making the effort and sharing the results with us. I'm gonna look at some of this stuff over the weekend and I'm sure it will be very interesting.

I've had a response from Dr Tuveson, although short. Like I said I thought I'd sent my emails a bit late with the Christmas break and he is already off on his hols in the US. However, he said he will respond fully in the new year.

Clair