Jefferson University Hospitals

The Jefferson Department of Surgery has created the Jefferson Pancreas Tumor Registry – a longitudinal study in which participants may engage in long-term follow-up and receive information about scientific breakthroughs in pancreatic cancer.

Participants are asked to fill out a detailed questionnaire and may also be asked to provide a blood sample and/or a cheek swab. The questionnaire is designed to capture family health history of a patient with pancreatic cancer or a non-affected family member. The questionnaire also helps document exposure to environmental and occupational factors – such as residential radon, asbestos and secondhand smoke.

“The purpose of the registry is to further study whether pancreatic cancer occurs more frequently in families with a history of the disease,” said Charles J. Yeo, M.D., Samuel D. Gross Professor and Chair, Department of Surgery at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University. “It will also be used to determine the environmental and occupational risk factors to which pancreatic cancer patients have been exposed.”

Ultimately, the registry may help identify high-risk patients who may benefit from invasive surveillance. The goal: to diagnose pancreatic cancer earlier, when more treatment options are available.

Learn more about the Jefferson Pancreatic Cancer Program – including information about our team of multidisciplinary professionals and personal stories about patients. Make an appointment with a Jefferson physician online or by calling 1-800-JEFF-NOW.