Experimental laboratory research uses space-age materials developed by NASA to improve the latest field in cancer treatment, creating electrical fields to kill tumor cells. Irreversible electroporation , also known as nano-knife surgery, is the newest surgical method for advanced cancers where surgery cannot be performed, including kidney, liver and pancreatic cancers. While the field is only a few years old, scientists have already doubled the effectiveness of the technique. The irreversible electroporation technology uses electricity to create tiny holes in cells, causing them to ...

When cancer begins in the pancreas, the outlook can be shattering. That's why new ways of going after this malignancy are so urgently needed. Scientists have found an evasive gene that could lead to new therapies.

Increasingly, surgeons are using specialized tools to perform operations. Laparoscopic surgery - sometimes called "minimally invasive surgery" - uses tiny tubes and cameras that help the surgeon have better visibility of and access to certain areas.

Pancreatic cancer is difficult to detect, and by the time someone has symptoms that send them to the doctor, the cancer may have advanced to the point where it is difficult to treat.

In the latest re-evaluation of pancreatic cancer chemotherapy, recent research concluded that using the standard drugs alongside some less well known supplements as a booster improved treatment results.

Bet you didn't know that heart disease and pancreatic cancer have something in common. Indeed they do - they share a link with genetic pathways that control both cholesterol and a system by which cells communicate - the Hedgehog pathway.

About 80 percent of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer also have diabetes. While it's known that the two diseases are linked, the exact nature of this association remains unclear.

In some cases, surgeons will not operate on patients with pancreatic cancer that has spread significantly in the local area, due to the many risks. A new surgical technique that uses many small pulses of electricity may change that.

More and more is coming to light about pancreatic cancer. And the more scientists know, the greater the chances of detecting it early on and finding ways to treat this serious disease.

Pancreatic cancer isn't a pretty one. Realistically, it's tough to detect because symptoms are so subtle; it's tough to treat and it's tough to beat. Now there's light on the horizon, with what could be a true treatment breakthrough.