Genetic Issues
First of its Kind, Genetic Screening for Pancreatic Cancer
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Apr 6, 2022 - 10:45:35 AM

(HealthNewsDigest.com) - Hackensack University Medical Center  launched an innovative surveillance program that screens individuals who are at high-risk for developing familial or hereditary pancreatic cancer.

This new initiative is the first of its kind in New Jersey and patients who are eligible will receive both an imaging test and a recently approved biomarker test that measures the immune system’s response to diseases in the blood.

Biomarker testing is a way to look for genes, proteins, and other substances that can provide information about cancer. Each person's cancer has a unique pattern of biomarkers. Some biomarkers affect how certain cancer treatments work.

The pancreas is a small organ in the abdomen that produces insulin and other important enzymes to promote the digestion of food and the regulation of blood sugar. Pancreatic cancer is often called the silent killer, and with good reason – most patients don't experience symptoms until the cancer is big enough to impact the surrounding organs. Even then, the symptoms are often vague which is why this testing is so important.

According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 56,770 Americans will receive a pancreatic cancer diagnosis this year alone. This type of cancer accounts for nearly eighty percent of all cancer-related deaths in the United States, making it one of the most lethal forms of malignant diseases.

According to Dr. Rosario Ligresti, chief of Gastroenterology at Hackensack University Medical Center,  the incidence of pancreas cancer has been significantly rising since 2000, especially in women younger than 55.

“Pancreas cancer is predicted to become the second-leading cause of cancer death in the world by 2030, overtaking colon cancer,” explains Ligresti. “We absolutely need a better way to screen for it.”

Patients are encouraged to speak with their doctors to see if they meet the criteria to be considered for the screening.  Those who are qualified can make an appointment quickly and will typically be seen within one week.

Screenings  are available one morning each week at Hackensack University Medical Center between the hours of 9 AM and 12 PM and will run from April 1, 2022 to September 30, 2022.

For an appointment call 551.996.3091.

For media looking for more information or an interview, contact Mary McGeever at 551-795-1675 or [email protected].

ABOUT HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HACKENSACK UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER

Hackensack University Medical Center, a 771-bed nonprofit teaching and research hospital located in Bergen County, is the largest provider of inpatient and outpatient services in New Jersey.  Founded in 1888, it was the county’s first hospital. It was the first hospital in New Jersey and second in the nation to become a Magnet®-recognized hospital for nursing excellence, receiving its sixth consecutive designation in 2019 from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. The academic flagship of the Hackensack Meridian Health network, Hackensack University Medical Center ranked #1 in New Jersey and #7 in the New York metro area by U.S. News & World Report’s 2021-2022 “Best Hospitals” Honor Roll. Hackensack University Medical Center is also rated as High Performing in 14 procedures and conditions, and sets the standard for all New Jersey hospitals in several specialties including New Jersey's only nationally-ranked Neurology & Neurosurgery and Urology programs; ranked nationally in Cardiology & Heart Surgery; New Jersey’s Best Urology and Neurology & Neurosurgery programs since 2013; with Cardiology & Heart Surgery, Gastroenterology & GI Surgery, Geriatrics and Orthopedics ranked among the top in New Jersey.  This award-winning care is provided on a campus that is home to facilities such as John Theurer Cancer Center, a consortium member of the NCI-designated Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center and recognized as the #1 hospital for cancer care in New Jersey by U.S. News & World Report’s 2021-22 "Best Hospitals" Honor Roll; the Heart & Vascular Hospital; and the Sarkis and Siran Gabrellian Women’s and Children’s Pavilion, which houses the Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital and Donna A. Sanzari Women’s Hospital, recognized as being in the top 1% of children’s hospitals in the nation and #1 children’s hospital in New Jersey by U.S. News & World Report’s 2021-22 "Best Hospitals" Honor Roll; as well as the Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center. Hackensack University Medical Center is listed on the Green Guide’s list of Top 10 Green Hospitals in the U.S. Our comprehensive clinical research portfolio includes studies focused on precision medicine, translational medicine, immunotherapy, cell therapy, and vaccine development. The hospital has embarked on the largest healthcare expansion project ever approved by the state: Construction of the Helena Theurer Pavilion, a 530,000-sq.-ft., nine-story building, which began in 2019. A $714.2 million endeavor, the pavilion is one the largest healthcare capital projects in New Jersey and will house 24 state-of-the-art operating rooms with intraoperative MRI capability, 50 ICU beds, and 150 private patient rooms, including a dedicated 50-bed Orthopedic Institute.

ABOUT HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH

Hackensack Meridian Health is a leading not-for-profit health care organization that is the largest, most comprehensive, and truly integrated health care network in New Jersey, offering a complete range of medical services, innovative research, and life-enhancing care.