The medicine, probably in a pill or injectable form, would be given after patients are treated successfully using chemotherapy and radiation, said cancer researcher Dr. Courtney Houchen.
More than 400 Oklahomans are killed each year by pancreatic cancer, which is the fourth-leading cause of cancer fatalities in the United States, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Houchen said today at an Oklahoma City news conference that the drug has been effective in animal testing and cell cultures.
Researchers expect human clinical trials will begin about five years from now. The drug might then be available to the public in 10 years, he said.
A perfect candidate for the drug would be Duncan pancreatic survivor Jim Edwards, 53. He said the drug could be “a new insurance policy ... in the future for me and my family.”
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If everyone wants drugs faster, they should help by donating to research labs for whatever area they are interested in. Funding levels are usually the biggest factor in whether a drug is developed and how fast it gets to us.
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Thank you for joining our conversations on NewsOK.com. We encourage your discussions but ask that you stay within the bounds of our terms and conditions. Please help us by reporting comments that violate these guidelines. To review our rules of engagement, go to Commenting and posting policy.
Leave a comment. Log in below or sign up (it's free).Editor's note: It is not our intent to offer comments on crime or fatality stories.