Different types of pancreatic cancer start in different types of cells in the body

In 2014, we published a study in the prestigious journal Cancer Research predicting that pancreatic cancer would move from the fourth to the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States around 2020.

The study also predicted that by the year 2030, the top five deadliest cancers in the United States will be lung, pancreatic, liver, colorectal and breast – a dramatic shift from the 2014 top deadliest cancers: lung, colorectal, breast, pancreatic and prostate. The study also pointed out a rapid rise in the number of cases of thyroid cancer.

During the recent American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting, we learned the exciting news that our study was the most cited paper of 2014 in the journal Cancer Research. To-date, it has been referenced in various publications over 300 times.

“Our study was a call to action to the scientific and clinical communities, as well as the population at large, to increase attention, awareness and ultimately progress in the fight against pancreatic cancer,” said Lynn Matrisian, PhD, MBA, our chief research officer and senior author on the prized research study.

The award was bestowed based on the total number of citations from date of publication, May 19, 2014, through Jan. 2016. The journal Cancer Research is a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR).

“We are proud of how often the study has been cited,” Matrisian said. “It’s a reflection of an interest in looking to the future to inform today’s research efforts, as well as the growth and commitment happening within the pancreatic cancer community.”