Pancreatic Cancer - Largest Ever Prospective Nutrition Study

How did I miss this one?! To give a little background, my main research project at the moment concerns pancreatic cancer. Until we started on this project, I knew nothing of this disease. Now, I know it is the most deadly major human cancer. The survival stats are grim. The most commonly quoted – 5-year survival – is only 5%. Compare that to other common cancers: breast - 87%, melanoma - 86%, prostate - 95%. An even more telling statistic is the median survival time - only around 6 months for pancreatic cancer. That means most newly diagnosed patients won't see out a year. Surgery is normally not an option and/or ineffective; most patients already have metastases at diagnosis; radiation and chemotherapy have minimal effect on disease progression. It is a truly scary disease, and, although the odds are slim, my hope is that my research group may be able to contribute in some way to improving our understanding of the disease, at a biochemical level. Maybe even contribute towards the development of new, more effective treatments.

So, when I become aware that the largest prospective nutritional study ever published shows strong, statistically significant links between animal fat intake and pancreatic cancer, and that other studies show similar links with animal protein and lactose to pancreatic cancer, it strengthens my resolve to remain on a plant-based, whole-foods diet. How could I go to work every day with an aim to contribute in some small way to lessening the burden of this disease, while at every meal consuming foods that are unequivocally associated with its incidence?