Submitted by L. Millard on Thu, 02/12/2021 - 18:37
Marking World Pancreatic Day on 18 November, the CRUK Cambridge Centre Pancreatic Cancer Programme hosted an expert panel event titled ‘Ask me anything about pancreatic cancer’. A podcast of the webinar is now available.
Pancreatic cancer is one of three hard-to-treat cancers targeted by the IRC programme, along with mesothelioma and glioblastoma. The CRUK Cambridge Pancreatic Cancer Centre works collaboratively to progress the translation of pancreatic cancer research.
The ‘Ask me anything about pancreatic cancer’ webinar featured clinicians and researchers answering questions from members of the public on topics including early detection, diet, rehabilitation, clinical trials and biology research. The discussion brought focus to the need for early diagnosis for pancreatic cancer and the collaboration between clinical and research teams at the University of Cambridge to prioritise the needs of patients.
It was very nice to be part of the teams who participated on the day including surgeons, researchers and a 10-year patient survivor who is part of the Cambridge Centre Pancreatic Cancer Programme. As well as helping to raise awareness, we talked to some people who have lost someone to pancreatic cancer reminding us why we all do the research. Dr Andrea Bistrovic Popov, IRC Research Associate
The event was chaired by Dr Bristi Basu, an Academic Consultant in Medical Oncology specialising in experimental cancer therapeutics at Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the clinical co-lead of the CRUK Cambridge Centre Pancreatic Cancer Programme. The panel of experts included: Dr Giulia Biffi; Research Group Leader at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute; Dr Pippa Corrie, a Consultant in Medical Oncology at Addenbrooke’s Hospital; Dr Asif Jah, Consultant Surgeon in hepato-pancreatico-biliary (HPB) and transplant surgery at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Jill Barker, a Clinical Nurse Specialist in oncology at Addenbrooke’s Hospital; Laura McGeeney, a Pancreatic Cancer Dietician at Addenbrooke’s Hospital; Nicola Day, a Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist in oncology rehabilitation and exercise at Addenbrooke’s Hospital; Édáin Martin, a Respiratory Specialist Physiotherapist and the Surgical Physiotherapy Team lead at Addenbrooke’s Hospital; Frances New, a palliative care Clinical Nurse Specialist at Addenbrooke’s Hospital; and patient representative Jim Smith, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer six years ago and had a distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy at Addenbrooke's Hospital and advises the CRUK Cambridge Pancreatic Cancer Centre programme on issues that are relevant to patients.
During the webinar Jim Smith shared his experience of being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and talked about the Side by Side initiative provided by Pancreatic Cancer UK. This is a service offering people who have had or will be having an operation to remove pancreatic cancer the opportunity to speak to a trained volunteer who has already had pancreatic cancer surgery and can offer emotional support and practical tips about how to prepare and recover from surgery.
Team effort
Research Associate Dr Andrea Bistrovic Popov who works in the Fruk Lab, led by the IRC’s Dr Ljiljana Fruk, developing biopolymer nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery, was part of a team from CRUK Cambridge Centre who distributed leaflets at the Beehive Centre in Cambridge on World Pancreatic Cancer Day. The leaflets provided information to raise awareness of symptoms and highlight ongoing trials in Cambridge.
Andrea said: “It was very nice to be part of the teams who participated on the day including surgeons, researchers and a 10-year patient survivor who is part of the Cambridge Centre Pancreatic Cancer Programme. As well as helping to raise awareness, we talked to some people who have lost someone to pancreatic cancer reminding us why we all do the research.”
• Listen to the CRUK Cambridge Centre Pancreatic Cancer Programme ‘Ask me anything about pancreatic cancer’ podcast, and others, at: https://crukcambridgecentre.org.uk/podcast.
• Find out more about the Pancreatic Cancer UK initiative Side by Side at: : https://www.pancreaticcancer.org.uk/support-for-you/side-by-side-support-for-before-and-after-surgery/
• With thanks to everyone who helped distribute leaflets in Cambridge on World Pancreatic Cancer Day: Dr Michael Gill, Danya Cheeseman, Catarina Pelicano, Arnaldo Neves Santos Silva, Sally Pascall, Dr Andre Bistrovic Popov and Kate Donoghue.
