The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) has achieved a significant milestone in its Early Detection Initiative (EDI), completing enrollment of more than 8,800 eligible participants in a landmark study investigating the connection between new-onset diabetes and pancreatic cancer. The study, which will track participants for three years, represents a novel approach to identifying early detection strategies for one of medicine's most challenging cancers.
Novel Focus on Diabetes as Early Warning Signal
Unlike previous large-scale pancreatic cancer detection studies that concentrated on genetic predisposition and family history, the EDI specifically examines new-onset diabetes in individuals over 50 years old. Research indicates that in a subset of these cases, diabetes may actually be caused by an underlying pancreatic tumor, with elevated blood sugar levels appearing up to three years before cancer diagnosis.
"We're grateful to all the study participants who are contributing their time to this important work," said PanCAN Chief Science Advisor Lynn Matrisian, PhD, MBA. "We are committed to our long-standing goal to advance an early detection strategy for pancreatic cancer. The EDI study is critical to help get us there."
Innovative Detection Methods Under Investigation
The study incorporates a specialized imaging protocol for a subset of participants to evaluate whether early imaging at the time of diabetes diagnosis could lead to earlier cancer detection. This approach could prove crucial in developing a screening methodology that identifies pancreatic cancer while surgical intervention remains possible.
"Too many patients are diagnosed too late, when surgery is no longer an option," explained Dr. Matrisian. "We know that patients identified at the earliest stage of disease can have a five-year survival rate of 44% up to 80%. We need more people in this category to continue to improve outcomes."
Research Progress and Early Findings
The initiative, launched in 2021, has already generated significant scientific contributions. Through collaborations with Baylor College of Medicine and Kaiser Permanente Southern California, the research team has published several important studies, including:
- A 2024 publication on identifying high-risk patients for screening
- A 2022 pilot study examining pancreas imaging
- A 2021 analysis of cost-effectiveness in risk-based screening for patients with new-onset diabetes
The three-year follow-up period will be crucial in determining whether participants develop pancreatic cancer and at what stage, potentially establishing the foundation for a proactive screening process that could detect pancreatic cancer years earlier than current methods.
