New research into screening for people at high risk of pc

[PCUK Nurse Jeni]

The new results of a study looking into a potential screening method for families affected by pancreatic cancer in the US has been reported in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.

The Study carried out at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre in New York offered screening to 309 relatives of people with familial pancreatic cancer using MRI scans of the pancreas. If the MRI showed anything suspicious-looking, they could have further testing with endoscopic ultrasound.Overall, MRI scans caught potential problems in 18 study participants and six later had surgery to remove these lesions.

A number of research groups in different countries are looking into screening but not all studies have had positive results. The researchers at Sloan Kettering feel that no single research group has "definitely proven that routine screening is of benefit" but they feel these new research findings add to a growing body of research which shows that screening may be worth while.

For more information see http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/20/us-pancreatic-cancer-screening-idUSTRE73J5K720110420