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Pancanology Blog Posts

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DateTitleDescriptionViews
2020-01-03Pancanology Is On YouTubePancanology started a YouTube channel. 3 years ago! That may explain the lack of updates on this blog?226
2014-06-18White Blood Cell CountsWhat are white blood cells?13133
2016-08-26Long-Term Pancreatic Cancer Survivors Without SurgeryDetails on 11 long-term survivors who never had surgery.4841
2015-10-01Clonal Evolution ModelThe widely accepted theory of how cancer grows and how it affects treatment options.3087
2017-01-09The Case for Low Dose FOLFIRINOXLow dose FOLFIRINOX has fewer side effects and comparable effectiveness3055
2016-08-02How Chemotherapy Works (or Doesn’t)How chemotherapy works. And why it stops working. 1100
2015-07-03Phase 3 Metastatic Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Clinical Trial ResultsResults of every phase 3 metastatic clinical trial for pancreatic cancer. Tell me if I've missed one!1000
2015-10-01Cancer Stem Cell ModelA new(er) theory of how cancer grows and its implications on treatment options.708
2014-07-04WBC During ChemotherapyHow do white blood cell counts respond during chemotherapy?561
2014-09-29Gemcitabine Dose Escalation Study – a Paper ReviewWhat's the scoop on phase 1 clinical trials? Here's a look at PanCan's most important one.538
2017-11-12Worst Medical AdviceWorst Medical Advice I've Ever Received415
2015-08-18What Researchers Know and You Don’tOne paper is behind almost every new cancer treatment. It all makes sense now!404
2014-06-18IntroductionAbout me.325
2015-09-25Cancer ModelsHow do researchers come up with new treatment ideas? It's based on models.308
2015-01-31Immunotherapy of Pancreatic Cancer – a WebinarJohns Hopkins GVAX vaccine developer Dr. Elizabeth Jaffee gives a run-down of PanCan immunotherapy options. I annotated it so you can find what you're interested in.285
2014-09-21Stockdale Paradox & CancerAdmiral Stockdale endured 7 years as a Vietnam POW. How can you get through tough times?254

Introduction

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I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer on May 11, 2010, after visiting the emergency room because of severe back and abdominal pains. Over the previous five months, those pains doubled in intensity every three weeks and my PCP and various specialists could not find anything except a hiatal hernia. I still have that hernia, but the cancer didn’t make it.

In this blog, I’ll explore pancreatic cancer treatments. The current crop of chemotherapy drugs are blunt instruments that attack all dividing cells. New drugs are being produced that target specific mutations present in many, but not all tumors. As patients, we need to try and select the drugs that present us with the best chance at survival. We don’t have many chances to get it right.

We’ve all heard the dire pancreatic cancer statistics. Every web page and paper written about pancreatic cancer starts with the same bleak outlook. I want to give patients the information they need to increase their odds a fraction. In general, I find that the more knowledge I have about the subject, the less scary it becomes. I have my next treatment steps planned based on my health history and what I know about my genetic makeup.

This information may make no difference, it may make a little difference, or it might give someone their life back.

If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough

Albert Einstein