3,933
Australians were diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer in 2020.
3,300
Australians died of Pancreatic Cancer in 2020.
Pancreatic Cancer is the third
most common cause of cancer death in Australia.
What is Pancreatic Cancer?
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal cancers, as it presents late in the course of illness, has a tendency to spread to other parts of the body, and is resistant to chemotherapy.
Surgery remains the only potentially curative option for this illness, but is only beneficial to patients where the cancer has not spread.
Surgery to remove pancreatic cancer is technically demanding, and often involves the removal of several organs at once, followed by complex reconstruction.
Pancreatic Cancer Research at Westmead
The Westmead Pancreatic Cancer Research Group, part of Westmead Hospital’s Surgical Innovations Unit, is led by surgeons Associate Professor Tony Pang and Dr. Chris Nahm. This research group aims to improve survival rates in pancreatic cancer by:
- Furthering understanding of the biological behaviour of pancreatic cancer
- Developing tests for the early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer
- Developing models of pancreatic cancer that will facilitate an individualised tailored approach to pancreatic cancer care for each patient.
- Developing innovative surgical tools for enhancing cancer surgery utilising 3D printing technology
A/Prof. Tony Pang BSc(Med) MBBS (Hons) MBiostat MS PhD FRACS FACS AStat
Associate Professor Tony Pang is a Consultant Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic (HPB) Surgeon at Westmead Hospital.
He graduated with honours from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in 2004, undertook training in General Surgery with the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, followed by further subspecialty training in HPB surgery at Westmead Hospital and Tan Tock Seng Hospital in Singapore. He is also an accredited biostatistician with the Statistical Society of Australia and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
A/Prof Pang was awarded a PhD from UNSW for his research into pancreatic cancer biology. His work included the discovery of a novel cell type that is thought to facilitate the spread of pancreatic cancer (circulating pancreatic stellate cells). He has won many awards for this work, including the June Halliday Basic Science Young Investigator Award from the Gastroenterological Society of Australia (GESA, the peak body for gastroenterology in Australia) and the Dean’s award for outstanding PhD thesis from UNSW. A/Prof. Pang is also an inventor of multiple medical devices, including the iiPJ (ischaemic injury protection jacket), a device supported by NSW Health through the highly competitive Medical Devices Fund (MDF) grant scheme.
A/Prof. Pang’s research interests include understanding pancreatic cancer invasion and the use of 3D printing in developing innovative solutions for cancer surgery.
Dr. Chris Nahm BSc(Med) MBBS(Hons) PhD FRACS
Dr. Chris Nahm is a Consultant Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic (HPB) Surgeon at Westmead Hospital.
He obtained his medical degree from the University of New South Wales with honours, and completed his training in General Surgery with the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. He was the inaugural recipient of the Harris Van Beek Memorial Fund Pancreatic Cancer Scholarship, which enabled him to complete his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in pancreatic cancer at The University of Sydney.
His PhD work was also supported by a Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Foundation for Surgery Scholarship, Australian Postgraduate Award, Sydney Vital Scholarship, and ANZHPBA Research Scholarship. Dr. Nahm has been awarded prizes for his pancreatic cancer research presented on both the international and national stage.
He has authored 50 publications in peer-reviewed journals and completed two book chapters. After completing his PhD, he undertook a clinical fellowship in HPB surgery at Westmead Hospital, followed by an international HPB and Transplant fellowship at St. James’s University Hospital in Leeds, United Kingdom.
Dr. Nahm’s research interests include understanding who might benefit from chemotherapy prior to surgery for pancreatic cancer and improving complication rates and recovery time after pancreatic cancer surgery.
