Molecular marker from pancreatic 'juices' helps identify pancreatic cancer

Researchers at Mayo Clinic have developed a promising method to distinguish between pancreatic cancer and chronic pancreatitis — two disorders that are difficult to tell apart. A molecular marker obtained from pancreatic "juices" can identify almost all cases of pancreatic cancer, their study shows. The findings were being presented at Digestive Disease Week 2013 in Orlando, Fla. Pancreatic cancer and chronic pancreatitis both produce the same signs of disease in the pancreas, such as inflammation, but cancer in the organ is a life-threatening disorder that must be treated immediately and aggressively. Read more here.

Conference abstract mentioned: Raimondo M, et al. Methylated DNA Markers in Pancreatic Juice Discriminate Pancreatic Cancer From Chronic Pancreatitis and Normal Controls. Presented at Digestive Disease Week 2013, Orlando, FL.