About the Pancreatic Cancer Moon Shot

Learn more about the Pancreatic Cancer Moon Shot

Leadership

Jason Fleming, M.D., professor, Surgical Oncology
Anirban Maitra, M.B.B.S, professor, Pathology, and scientific director, Pancreatic Cancer Research Center
Robert Wolff, M.D., professor, Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, and interim chair, General Oncology

Goals

Increase the five-year survival rate from 5% to more than 20%
Decrease the percentage of patients with inoperable pancreatic adenocarcinoma at diagnosis from 85% to 70%

Advances

Early detection blood test/diagnostic biomarker: A study revealed the potential of a protein that could lead to an early detection blood test. The protein was found in blood samples of nearly all 200 participants with pancreatic cancer but absent in samples of 100 healthy volunteers. Patients with more advanced disease had higher levels of the protein. This discovery is being validated in a larger group of patients.
Prognostic biomarkers: The team is working on validating biomarkers that can help identify patients amenable to certain drugs and at a higher risk of treatment failure.
Drug development and immunotherapy: A newly discovered inhibitor of cancer metabolism is in MD Anderson's Institute for Applied Cancer Science drug discovery pipeline. Phase I trials for pancreatic cancer are slated for 2016. The team also is exploring adoptive cellular therapy: removing a patient's T cells, enhancing or modifying them in the lab and infusing them back into the patient to kill tumor cells.
MD Anderson's first pancreatic cancer high-risk clinic: This clinic will serve people at increased risk for screening and counseling.

Podcast at http://bit.ly/1ODtf2u

More Stories From Promise

Global ambassadors with a collective goal: Making Cancer History®

The MD Anderson Cancer Center Board of Visitors plays a significant role in advancing the institution as the world's premier cancer center.

My Moon Shot

Tom Rushing, of Houston, is a pancreatic cancer survivor of eight years. After his initial diagnosis, he sought a second opinion at MD Anderson and was placed in the care of Robert Wolff, M.D., chair ad interim, General Oncology; Sheikh Zayed Distinguished University Chair in Medical Oncology; and a co-leader of the Pancreatic Cancer Moon Shot. A senior consultant with Merrill Lynch, Rushing has been a member of the MD Anderson Cancer Center Board of Visitors since 2011, serving on the board's Development Committee.

The Moon Shots Program Overview

MD Anderson's Moon Shots Program is an unprecedented, comprehensive assault to significantly reduce cancer deaths and transform cancer care.

A lasting legacy

New York conservationist gives $30 million to cancer research

A Conversation With a Living Legend®

A signature event, steeped in tradition

iPromise

Businesswoman, educator, philanthropist and sports enthusiast Nita Ambani, of Mumbai, India, joined the MD Anderson Cancer Center Board of Visitors in 2014. She is founder and chairperson of the Reliance Foundation, established in 2010 to provide impetus to various philanthropic initiatives of Reliance Industries Limited. The efforts of the group have touched the lives of more than 4 million people across India, in more than 5,500 villages and urban locations.

Survivors Say

Judith Jennings, of Meridianville, Ala., is a mother, grandmother, retired teacher and ovarian cancer survivor.

A lifetime commitment

Life Members of the MD Anderson Cancer Center Board of Visitors embody philanthropy, leadership and a community spirit. Through their dedication and devotion, this select group has furthered MD Anderson's mission and advanced the institution toward its goal to end cancer. Their belief in MD Anderson has motivated their personal generosity and inspired that of others. True ambassadors of Making Cancer History®, they've helped place MD Anderson at the forefront of cancer care, research, prevention and education. In 2015, the board welcomed two new Life Members: Lyda Hill of Dallas and James A. Baker, III, of Houston.