When David Kennedy was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, his first thought was B次元官网网址渓etB次元官网网址檚 get this taken care of as soon as possible.B次元官网网址�
For people like David facing pancreatic cancer, time is precious. Although it is the 10th most common cancer in Canada, it is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths after lung, breast in women, colorectal and prostate in men.
Pancreatic cancer is difficult to detect at an early stage and is often resistant to treatment. ItB次元官网网址檚 projected that for the more than 800 people in British Columbia who will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this year, only 10 per cent (or 80 people) will live five years.
B次元官网网址淲hile our teams at BC Cancer have made significant progress in breaking down pancreatic cancer in labs and clinics, for some patients this isnB次元官网网址檛 happening fast enough,B次元官网网址� says Dr. Daniel Renouf, BC Cancer medical oncologist and clinician-scientist.
Patients often need to be seen by several specialists and there can be significant delays in arranging these appointments and subsequent tests. During this time, the cancer can progress.
To help reduce the time elapsed between diagnosis and the start of treatment, Dr. Renouf and his team have a vision to create a rapid access clinic at BC Cancer, where:
- specialist consults are consolidated on a single day;
- testing is expedited;
- cutting-edge genetic profiling is performed at the time of diagnosis, leading to tailored therapies for each individual patient; and
- the clinical research team can discuss potential experimental treatment options.
The rapid access clinic will also significantly minimize stress for patients and families, according to Dr. Renouf.
B次元官网网址淏y relieving some of their greatest anxieties, we can help patients cope better,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淎nd by managing their care more efficiently, we can help give them their best chance for survival.B次元官网网址�
The significance of creating a rapid access clinic for pancreatic cancer care is not lost on David.
B次元官网网址淢y prognosis improved because I had swift access to the appropriate treatment,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淚 owe my life to all the doctors and staff that cared for me B次元官网网址� I am one lucky man.B次元官网网址�
Your support can help make the future of pancreatic cancer care a reality and bring new hope to families across B.C. so they can experience an outcome much like DavidB次元官网网址檚. Learn more at .