Pancreatic cancer is the fourth most common cause of cancer death in developed countries, and is approximately sixty percent more common in men than in women. In Australia, approximately 1800 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year, and there are a similar number of deaths. Five year survival after diagnosis is less than five percent, and the majority of patients die within the first year. Surgery is frequently not possible due to the advanced stage of disease at diagnosis, and chemotherapy is largely ineffective. Currently the causes of pancreatic cancer are poorly understood. Family history and smoking probably account for approximately 30% of cases, but for the remainder the cause is unknown.
NHMRC funding for pancreatic cancer research
In the period 2004-09, NHMRC contributed over $5.3 million to Australian research into pancreatic cancer.
| 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expenditure ($) | 288,706 | 556,264 | 312,313 | 744,125 | 445,981 | 2,982,423 |
| Number of Active Grants | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 7 |
| Number of Researchers Involved | ||||||
| People Support Grants | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Research Support - Project Grants | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 5 |
| Research Support - No of Researchers | 6 | 13 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 12 |
Some NHMRC-funded research projects into pancreatic cancer
Retinoids in Pancreatic Cancer
Chief Investigator Associate Professor Andrew V Biankin, Garvan Institute of Medical Research
Pancreatic Cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in men and women in Western societies. Nothing, apart from surgery in a small proportion of individuals, gives any hope. The identification of novel treatment strategies in the modern era necessitates a rational scientific approach, where an understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the evolution of cancer underpins the development of such strategies in an efficient manner. Retinoids are derivatives of Vitamin A, and have been used extremely successfully in the treatment of some leukaemias. Unfortunately, retinoids have not worked as well in other cancers. We have identified an important role for abnormal retinoid function in the evolution of pancreatic cancer, which may be responsible for the lack of effective response to retinoid treatment. This project focuses on identifying if these abnormalities in retinoid function can be reversed with adding specific pharmaceuticals so that retinoid based therapies will be effective in pancreatic cancer.
NHMRC Project Grant
Case-Control Study of Genetic and Environmental Risk Factors for Pancreatic Carcinoma
Chief Investigator Dr Rachel Neale, Queensland Institute of Medical Research
Pancreatic carcinoma is the fourth most common cause of cancer death in developed countries, and is approximately sixty percent more common in men than in women. In Australia approximately 1800 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year and there are a similar number of deaths. The five year survival is less than five percent, and the majority of patients die within the first year. Surgery is frequently not possible due to the advanced stage of disease at diagnosis, and chemotherapy is largely ineffective. A better understanding of the causes of pancreatic cancer is essential in order to develop strategies to prevent this lethal cancer. Currently the causes of pancreatic cancer are poorly understood. Family history and smoking probably account for approximately 30% of cases, but for the remainder the cause is unknown. This study will assess a new hypothesis, namely that too much acid in the stomach possibly caused by infection with a bacterial organism, could increase the risk of pancreatic cancer. We will include people who are diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas (cases), and match these to people selected from the electoral roll who have not ever been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer (controls). Participants will be asked a series of detailed questions about their diet, smoking, occupation and medical history. We will collect blood to look for antibodies to the bacteria and to examine specific genes, and we will compare all these factors in cases and controls. This is one of the first large studies of pancreatic cancer in Australia and we will take an integrated approach to examining interactions between genetics and exposure to environmental factors.
NHMRC Project Grant
Understanding the development of pancreatic islet cell tumours
Chief Investigator Professor Nicholas K Hayward, Queensland Institute of Medical Research
We will use mouse models of pancreatic cancer that we have established previously to investigate the molecular basis of the development and progression of tumours in the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. We propose to manipulate a small number of candidate genes using established islet cultures and new mouse models in order to characterise the effect they have on islet cell biology and tumorigenesis.
NHMRC Project Grant
Molecular markers of phenotype, therapeutic responsiveness and prognosis in human cancers
Chief Investigator Professor Roger J Daly, Garvan Institute of Medical Research
This proposal aims to identify molecular markers that can be used to classify subtypes of particular cancers according to their prognosis and response to therapy. This will optimise selection of patients for the most appropriate treatment and lead to the development of new therapeutic strategies.
NHMRC Project Grant