Raising awareness and hope through research, education and treatment
"The other window of opportunity is patients who have precancerous lesions, such as cysts ... if these are found and the patients undergo surveillance, then we can prevent them from becoming cancerous."
Dr, C. Max Schmidt
Md, PhD, MBA
Welcome to the Pancreatic Cyst and Cancer Early Detection Center (PCC-EDC)! The PCC-EDC is located in Indianapolis, Indiana and is a part of IU Health and the IU School of Medicine.
Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (pancreatic cancer) is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States (US), with mortality nearly equal to incidence. Less than 5% of patients survive five years from the time of diagnosis, and pancreatic cancer is anticipated to account for 48,000 deaths in the US this year alone.
This incidence of cancer-related mortality is nearly equivalent to breast cancer in the US. Surgery can cure patients with pancreatic cancer but this occurs rarely. Surgical cure is possible only when the cancer is detected early. Non-surgical treatment modalities have been largely ineffective. Pancreatic cancer thus represents the deadliest cancer.
While a cure for patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer is actively being sought, a significant difference can be made today by accurately identifying groups of patients at high risk of developing pancreatic cancer, screening them and stratifying their risk thereby promoting early detection and prevention.
The mission of the PCC-EDC is to promote early detection and prevent pancreatic cancer through multidisciplinary screening clinics, registries, community outreach, education and research discovery.
The 14th Annual Bigelow Open was a sellout, and thanks to the support of you and many others the goal of $1 Million in total contributions to the IU Pancreatic Cyst and Early Detection Center from proceeds of The Bigelow Open was achieved.
As a result, the IU Pancreatic Cyst and Cancer Early Detection Center is being renamed as the "Mike Bigelow Pancreatic Cyst and Cancer Early Detection Center."
Bigelow Open
Save the Date
July 15, 2023
Videos
Peg Brand shares the story of her time with Myles Brand and the impact of pancreatic cancer on his life and work as a leader in higher education.
Kris Bigelow tells about the challenges that her husband, Mike, had faced after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
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