The Applications of Physics in Pancreatic Cancer Screening and Treatment
Session Number
Project ID: MEDH 35
Advisor(s)
Dr. Young-Kee Kim; University of Chicago
Discipline
Medical and Health Sciences
Start Date
19-4-2023 10:20 AM
End Date
19-4-2023 10:35 AM
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is a dangerous and disproportionately lethal cancer. This is largely a result of its late diagnosis and difficulty in detection and treatment. In order to alleviate this, the applications of physics in pancreatic cancer screening and treatment must be further understood and explored. Of all the current imaging methods, CT and MRI have important connections to physics, and MRI has many prospects for improvement, including hyperpolarized metabolic MRI, which can provide a significantly more detailed image than a conventional MRI and could also possibly find early-stage tumors. In terms of treatment, the method that has the most connections to physics is radiation treatment. Pancreatic cancer treatment utilizes photon beams and not electron beams. There is, however, research being done to be able to use electron beams for pancreatic cancer– specifically, very high-energy electron (VHEE) beams. There is also research being done to make the necessary high-energy electron accelerators more compact and affordable. While there are methods to screen and treat pancreatic cancer, they are insufficient. More research is needed for early detection and effective treatment, and taking a physics perspective is important as it bridges a significant gap in information.
The Applications of Physics in Pancreatic Cancer Screening and Treatment
Pancreatic cancer is a dangerous and disproportionately lethal cancer. This is largely a result of its late diagnosis and difficulty in detection and treatment. In order to alleviate this, the applications of physics in pancreatic cancer screening and treatment must be further understood and explored. Of all the current imaging methods, CT and MRI have important connections to physics, and MRI has many prospects for improvement, including hyperpolarized metabolic MRI, which can provide a significantly more detailed image than a conventional MRI and could also possibly find early-stage tumors. In terms of treatment, the method that has the most connections to physics is radiation treatment. Pancreatic cancer treatment utilizes photon beams and not electron beams. There is, however, research being done to be able to use electron beams for pancreatic cancer– specifically, very high-energy electron (VHEE) beams. There is also research being done to make the necessary high-energy electron accelerators more compact and affordable. While there are methods to screen and treat pancreatic cancer, they are insufficient. More research is needed for early detection and effective treatment, and taking a physics perspective is important as it bridges a significant gap in information.