Gefitinib, a popular drug used to treat pancreatic cancer patients who are in the later stage of the disease, is found the have a larger benefit when used during a different stage.
According to Medical News Today, researchers at the Peggy and Charles Stephenson Oklahoma Cancer Center found that when used in the early, rather than later stages, Gefitinib, at low doses which have no known side effects, can actually stop pancreatic cancer from spreading and even cure the cancer altogether after 41 weeks of taking the medication (http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/213483.php).
How is this possible? According to the site, Gefitinib attacks the gene known to cause pancreatic cancer 95% of the time, preventing it from mutating and forming the tumor.
Knowing this, patients can prevent their cancer from spreading and reaching later stages where, the article notes, survival rate is only 6% or less.
Here’s the problem. It is not until it is too late and the cancer has already spread to the later stages that a person is often diagnosed, which is why it is important to become aware of the disease and get checked.
In case you forget, Road Scholar Transport’s Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Truck will remind you. It’s hard to miss this wake-up call as it travels across the nation spreading awareness. Visit http://www.roadscholarawareness.org to learn more.
Medical News Today informs that clinical trials are underway with discussion of a pilot study occurring within the next couple of months and a Phase II trial by the middle of next year.
