National register to help fight pancreatic cancer

Epworth HealthCare is creating a national register of pre-cancerous pancreatic cysts in the hope improving early detection of pancreatic cancer.

Each year, 4,200 Australians are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The aggressive nature of the disease and late diagnosis means it has become the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Australia. Pancreatic cancer is tipped to become the second biggest cancer killer by 2030.

Associate Professor Andrew Metz, Director of the Jreissati Pancreatic Centre at Epworth, said some pancreatic cancers are believed to develop from a common pre-cancerous cyst on the pancreas.

“Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN) are the most common type of pancreatic cyst,” A/Prof Metz said.

“It’s believed up to 2% of Australians have one of these cysts but only about 840 a year progress to pancreatic cancer.”

“Unfortunately, diagnosis and treatment of these cysts outside large tertiary hospitals, especially in rural areas, poses challenges due to decentralised practices and limited expertise. This leads to inconsistent patient management and delays in treating these lesions before they become malignant.”

The Victorian-led, national registry for IPMN is being established by the Jreissati Pancreatic Centre at Epworth.

A/Prof Metz said better tracking of patients with the cysts through the registry could save lives.

“It’s hoped the register will improve understanding of the lesions and how they are managed. The aim is to prevent the cysts from progressing to pancreatic cancer, through close monitoring of patients with the cysts”.

Patients whose details are entered into the register will be tracked for several years, receiving automated reminders for crucial follow up appointments to ensure none are missed. The register means patients with the pre-cancerous cysts will receive the same level of care, regardless of where they live.

The registry will initially be funded by the Epworth Medical Foundation.

Dr Caroline Le, Research Manager, Jreissati Pancreatic Centre at Epworth, said the register is one of 24 research projects the centre has underway.

“The Jreissati Pancreatic Centre at Epworth was established two and a half years ago, with three key aims; clinical care, education and support, and research,” Dr Le said.

“In that short time, the centre has been awarded 17 grants to fund 24 research and clinical trial studies into early detection and new treatments for pancreatic cancer.”