Newswise — BOSTON – The Institute for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) led by A. James Moser, MD, FACS, will benefit from a $100,000 grant from the Alliance of Families Fighting Pancreatic Cancer (AFFPC).
The funding will support more than a dozen projects designed to empower patients undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer, to advance quality of life and to promote the development of personalized treatment options. Research supported by APPFC includes efforts to advance minimally-invasive pancreatic surgery as a means of minimizing pain and improving recovery, as well as projects to promote patient education about pancreatic cancer.
“The Alliance of Families Fighting Pancreatic Cancer is a tremendous partner for our effort to improve the quality of life for patients affected by pancreatic cancer,” said A. James Moser, MD, FACS, Executive Director of the Institute and Associate Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School. “Everyone in the AFFPC has been personally affected by this dreadful disease. Their commitment and passion fuels the work of our dedicated multidisciplinary team and inspires us to try harder every day.”
The Institute for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery at BIDMC provides coordinated, multidisciplinary, patient- and family-centered evaluation and care for adults with malignant and benign conditions affecting the liver, the biliary system and pancreas.
The medical center offers the most advanced, minimally invasive approaches to surgical treatment, including robot-assisted surgery, as well as access to investigational therapies through clinical trials. Each year, BIDMC surgeons perform more than 160 major pancreatic operations, placing the medical center among the top five medical centers in the nation for pancreatic surgical volume.
“We formed the Alliance because we have all been affected by pancreatic cancer and understand the dire need to advance research,” said AFFPC Executive Director Theresa Dukovich. “We are confident that Dr. Moser and his colleagues are leading the way in transforming pancreatic cancer treatment.”
Pancreatic cancer is the 12th most common cancer but the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. In 2014, approximately 46,000 Americans are expected to be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer; nearly 40,000 of those will die from the disease. Only six percent of Americans diagnosed with pancreatic cancer survive more than five years.
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is a patient care, teaching and research affiliate of Harvard Medical School, and currently ranks third in National Institutes of Health funding among independent hospitals nationwide.
BIDMC is in the community with Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Milton, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Needham, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Plymouth, Anna Jaques Hospital, Cambridge Health Alliance, Lawrence General Hospital, Signature Healthcare, Beth Israel Deaconess HealthCare, Community Care Alliance, and Atrius Health. BIDMC is also clinically affiliated with the Joslin Diabetes Center and Hebrew Senior Life and is a research partner of Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center and The Jackson Laboratory. BIDMC is the official hospital of the Boston Red Sox. For more information, visit www.bidmc.org.
The Alliance of Families Fighting Pancreatic Cancer (AFFPC) was founded in 2012 and is a volunteer-run, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Pittsburgh, Pa. Its mission is to take a united and pivotal role in changing pancreatic cancer treatment by empowering patients with personalized options for better survival and quality of life. Partnership organizations include: John F. Fortney Pancreatic Cancer Research Group (Greensburg, Pa.), J’s Run (Bethlehem, Pa.), The Wanda Bilec Foundation (Downingtown, Pa.), The Greg and Cathy Griffith Foundation (Altoona, Pa.), the Barnes Family, formerly Mellie’s Mission (Smithfield, Pa.) and The Woiner Foundation (Pittsburgh, Pa.) To learn more about the AFFPC visit: www.affpc.org.
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