Robert McWilliams

Professor of Oncology, Mayo Clinic. Tweets are my own.

[Robert McWilliams @RobMcWilliamsMD]

Thanks for the opportunity to participate in the chat. Thanks Liz for moderating (go Hoos) #pancreaticchat

[Robert McWilliams @RobMcWilliamsMD]

With more effective chemotherapy, tumors not initially removable can increasingly be converted to be resectable #pancreaticchat

[Robert McWilliams @RobMcWilliamsMD]

Surgery is underutilized for pancreatic cancer. If there is a question about resection, go to a high volume center #pancreaticchat

[Robert McWilliams @RobMcWilliamsMD]

Palliative care is an important focus on symptoms and quality of life #pancreaticchat

[Robert McWilliams @RobMcWilliamsMD]

T6. Existing and more Pancreatic Cancer SPORE grants need to be funded by NCI #pancreaticchat

[Robert McWilliams @RobMcWilliamsMD]

FOLFIRINOX = oxaliplatin, irinotecan, 5-FU, leucovorin #pancreaticchat

[Robert McWilliams @RobMcWilliamsMD]

T6. Bringing FOLFIRINOX and immunotherapy into adjuvant setting might help PanCan reach the 2020 goal #pancreaticchat

[Robert McWilliams @RobMcWilliamsMD]

T6 Best hopes for therapy depend on better understanding of the biology, and perhaps individualization of therapy #pancreaticchat

[Robert McWilliams @RobMcWilliamsMD]

Pancreatic cancer will surpass breast cancer in US deaths in the next couple of years #pancreaticchat

[Robert McWilliams @RobMcWilliamsMD]

We don't know the cause of the PC clinical syndrome. There is clearly a global effect of PC on patients that causes fatigue#pancreaticchat

[Robert McWilliams @RobMcWilliamsMD]

We are encountering evidence that genetic predisposition to PC differs among ethnic/racial groups #pancreaticchat

[Robert McWilliams @RobMcWilliamsMD]

The biology of high risk families is likely different from sporadic pancreatic cancer though#pancreaticchat

[Robert McWilliams @RobMcWilliamsMD]

Examples BRCA1/2 (familial breast/ovarian), CDKN2A (familial melanoma)#pancreaticchat

[Robert McWilliams @RobMcWilliamsMD]

5-10% of pancreatic cancer patients have a family history. There are some known genetic syndromes#pancreaticchat

[Robert McWilliams @RobMcWilliamsMD]

T3 Pancreatic is often caught late but that is not the only problem. Very difficult to treat even if caught early#pancreaticchat

[Robert McWilliams @RobMcWilliamsMD]

T6 Challenge will be as we define smaller subgroups of cancer, trials will be smaller and more challenging to conduct #abcDRBchat

[Robert McWilliams @RobMcWilliamsMD]

T6 We will see more molecular profiling but organs still matter - e.g. BRAF in melanoma vs colon #abcDRBchat

[Robert McWilliams @RobMcWilliamsMD]

T6 We will see more molecular profiling but organs still matter - e.g. BRAF in melanoma vs colon

[Robert McWilliams @RobMcWilliamsMD]

T5 Recovery from cancer and treatment is complex, and often underaddressed #abcDRBchat

[Robert McWilliams @RobMcWilliamsMD]

T3 More effort needs to be directed for minorty women to be tested. Higher rates of BRCA mutation in some populations #abcDRBchat