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Donate to Support Research

Private giving has real impact. It allows us to make significant advances in our understanding of pancreatic cancer and it provides critical support for our scientists.

How Can You Help?

Gifts of all sizes help the Sol Goldman Center lead the world in groundbreaking pancreatic cancer research. Thank you for your support!

Donate Online ▼

To make a gift or pledge online, please complete our secure online giving form.

Donate by Phone ▼

To speak to someone directly about making a gift, please call 443-287-7949.

Donate by Mail ▼

Mail your tax-deductible contribution made payable to Johns Hopkins University to:

Pancreatic Cancer Research
Department of Pathology
Johns Hopkins Medicine
550 North Broadway / Suite 701B
Baltimore, MD 21205

Donate Online

To make a gift or pledge online, please complete our secure online giving form.

Donate by Phone

To speak to someone directly about making a gift, please call 443-287-7949.

Donate by Mail

Mail your tax-deductible contribution made payable to Johns Hopkins University to:

Pancreatic Cancer Research
Department of Pathology
Johns Hopkins Medicine
550 North Broadway / Suite 701B
Baltimore, MD 21205

Why Support Our Research?

Ralph Hruban Support Our Research video — We passionately pursue pancreatic cancer research from every angle

Pancreatic cancer is often diagnosed at a late, advanced stage, after the cancer has spread to other organs and is no longer curable. The team at Johns Hopkins has identified and characterized curable precancerous lesions in the pancreas—offering a target for early detection.

Pancreatic cancer is, in essence, a disease caused by DNA changes (mutations) in cells in the pancreas. The team at Johns Hopkins was the first to sequence (read) all of the genes in pancreatic cancer. In so doing, the team at Hopkins defined the genetic drivers of pancreatic cancer and discovered new therapeutic targets.

Just as we inherit our eye and hair color from our parents, so too some people inherit an increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer. The team at Johns Hopkins was the first to sequence (read) all of the genes inherited in patients with familial pancreatic cancer, and the team has discovered many of the genes (DNA changes) that cause pancreatic cancer to run in families.

Pancreatic cancer is often diagnosed at a late, advanced stage, after the cancer has spread to other organs and is no longer curable. The team at Johns Hopkins has made significant strides towards the development of an early detection test. The test, which detects abnormal DNA shed by pancreatic cancer into the blood, is currently being tested clinically.

Pancreatic cancer surgery is extremely difficult and, in past decades, used to be associated with very high mortality rate. The surgical team at Johns Hopkins does more pancreatic cancer surgeries than any other center, and thanks to advances made by this team, the mortality rate from surgery has dropped to less than 2%.

Pancreatic cancer is a complicated disease, and treating it requires team work. The team at Johns Hopkins established the largest and most successful multi-disciplinary clinic for patients with pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer research is complicated and requires team work. The team at Johns Hopkins has been awarded the Team Science Award by the American Association for Cancer Research (three times!!).

Our Research is Saving Lives

See What We've Discovered

Additional Ways to Give

Some people give donations directly, some leave money to Johns Hopkins as a bequest, and some ask that donations be sent in lieu of flowers. Each donation helps us explore new avenues of research, and each is a poignant reminder of the human cost of this disease.

Honor Gifts ▼

Giving a donation in honor of someone whose life and accomplishments you wish to celebrate is a beautiful and meaningful way to honor them. Your gift both honors a loved one and strikes a blow against a terrible disease. This is also an excellent way to celebrate a birthday, anniversary, wedding or retirement with a gift in their honor.

In Lieu of Flowers ▼

We receive a number of donations in lieu of flowers. This is a wonderful way to both honor a loved one and to help fight this terrible disease. These donations are made at very difficult times, and we therefore want to simplify the process. If you have lost a loved one and would like donations sent to Hopkins to help battle this disease in their memory, please:

Make donations payable to: Johns Hopkins University
Indicate on the memo line of the check the name of the individual in whose memory the donation is being made.
Mail the donation to:
Ralph H. Hruban, M.D.
Johns Hopkins Hospital
600 N. Wolfe Street, Carnegie 417
Baltimore, MD 21287

Endowments ▼

Create a Named Endowment for Pancreatic Cancer Research

Research requires money, and private philanthropy provides a margin of excellence to our research. Private funds are flexible and can be deployed quickly to take advantage of new ideas and new people. Private funds are particularly needed to support research on pancreatic cancer. This is because pancreatic cancer research is woefully underfunded by the Federal Government (the NIH).

Endowments are wonderful ways to honor a loved one. Once established, the principal of the endowment is invested by the University. A portion of the income generated each year is reinvested to insure the long-term growth of the Endowment. The remainder of the income generated is given to the scientists to support their research.

Research endowments start at $100,000 which can be pledged and paid over a three to five year period. When an endowment is created a plaque is placed in the research labs honoring the donor.

Create an Endowed Chair (professorship) for Pancreatic Cancer Research

"Everything that is really great and inspiring is created by the individual who can labor in freedom"
Albert Einstein

The establishment of an endowed chair ("professorship") for pancreatic cancer research allows a leading scientist to pursue high-impact research work. This work has the potential to advance the field by leaps and bounds. All to often, scientists focus their efforts on "evolutionary" work because it is safer, and more of a sure bet. Endowed chairs allow scientists such to pursue revolutionary work. In addition named chairs are a wonderful way of permanently honoring the donor.

The cost for a named endowed chair is $2.8 million.

Endowed Fellowship: New Technologies in Pancreatic Cancer Research

"The principal mark of genius is not perfection, but originality, the opening of new frontiers."
Arthur Koestler

Trainees must make critical decisions when they come to the end of their standard training. They must decide whether or not to pursue a career in research. Countless trainees with enormous potential have chosen not pursue a research career because of a lack of a secure fellowship program.

At the same time, young minds are the most creative minds. Human creativity peaks at a rather young age; as our fund of knowledge increases our creativity paradoxically decreases. Indeed, some of the major new ideas in cancer research in the last several years have come from young scientists in their training. For example, Victor Velculescu here at Johns Hopkins created the idea for the revolutionary technology of serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE). Victor did this while he was a post-doctoral student in the Johns Hopkins cancer research laboratories.

We propose to create an endowed fellowship training program in pancreatic cancer research at Hopkins. This endowment will provide secured funding to young scientists and physicians wishing to pursue a career in pancreatic cancer research. The research fellowship will take advantage of and most importantly encourage the creativity of the trainees. The fellow will be given protected time to focus on identifying and creating new technologies which can be applied to pancreatic cancer research.

This approach will bring more minds to the battle against pancreatic cancer. Furthermore, the focus on creative spark will mean that our understanding will advance not in safe yet small steps, but rather in daring leaps.

What You Sponsor	Cost
1 Fellow (1 year X $50,000/year)	$50,000
1 Fellow (2 years X $50,000/year)	$100,000 (most Fellowships last 2 years)
Endowed Fellowship	$1,700,000

Planned Giving ▼

A number of people have asked how they can make a bequest and about other forms of planned giving. Planned giving can be a wonderful way to support pancreatic cancer research. Depending on the arrangements you choose you can also:

Reduce your income taxes
Get more favorable capital gains tax treatment
Increase your spendable income
Retain payments for life
Achieve no-cost, worry-free asset management

To learn more about planned giving opportunities visit Gift Planning at Johns Hopkins or contact the development office at 443-287-7949 or [email protected].

Special Fundraisers ▼

There have been special events organized by family members of those afflicted with pancreas cancer to raise money for pancreatic research at Hopkins.

Early visitors to our discussion board organized a major fundraising event, "Evening with the Stars", which raised over $100,000 to assist in starting a new laboratory at Johns Hopkins. Now, a number of families—including the Rolfe, Zgonina and Monastra families—have organized fundraisers to benefit our pancreatic cancer research program.

Start a Fundraiser

What Your Donation Buys

A number of you have asked us to spell out exactly where these donations go. We do not use the donations to support fundraising or other administrative efforts. Instead, 80% of each donation goes directly to support pancreatic cancer science—particularly our young investigators—and our educational efforts. These young investigators have wonderful creative ideas and they are at a point in their careers at which private giving can help convince them to join the battle against pancreatic cancer. The remaining 20% of your donation supports the Johns Hopkins Medicine Clinical and Academic Fund. In turn, Johns Hopkins Medicine provides infrastructure support to the pancreatic cancer research labs- the lighting, the heating for the building, etc.

Every donation makes a difference. Here's what your donation—large or small—can do to help.

Donation	Research Supplies
$10	One human gene contained within a cloning vector
$20	Reagents needed to isolate DNA from a patients' blood sample
$30	A pair of PCR primers used to amplify one gene
$35	Vials for freezing tumor samples
$40	Enzyme to precisely cut DNA
$60	Enzyme to join DNA fragments
$100	Tumor cell line
$100	A vial of enzyme to modify or amplify DNA
$150	DNA purification kit
$400	Enzyme to amplify DNA from tumors
$500	DNA fragments to study a new gene
$700	Lab refrigerator used in ongoing experiments
$900	Set of pipettes to measure chemical solutions
$2,700	Incubator for tumor cell culture
$5,000	Lab freezer
$7,000	Centrifuge for drug screens and purifications
$9,000	PCR machine to amplify DNA
$50,000/yr	Research fellow and supplies
$100,000 and up	Named research endowment
$1.7 million	Named endowed research fellowship
$2.8 million	Named endowed professorship for pancreas cancer research

An inherited genetic variation in DNA that you are born with

Third Degree Relatives - First cousins, great-aunts and uncles

Second Degree Relatives - Aunts, uncles, grandparents, nieces and nephews

First Degree relatives - Blood relatives in your immediate family: parents, children, and siblings

Also known as a pancreatoduodenectomy, the Whipple procedure is the surgery typically performed to remove cancers of the head of the pancreas (the part of the pancreas on the right side of your body). It typically involves the surgical removal of the head of the pancreas, a portion of the duodenum and a portion of the bile ducts.

This is an experimental type of treatment. It is a medication made of killed or weakened cells, organisms or manufactured materials, which is used to boost the body's immune system. Ideally, this will allow the body to fight and kill the cancer cells more effectively. Vaccines include whole killed cancer cells or specific proteins from the cancer.

Unable to be surgically removed. This usually means that the cancer has spread beyond the areas that can be removed surgically.

The part of the pancreas that bends backwards, hooking around two very important blood vessels, the superior mesenteric artery and vein. The word "uncinate" comes from the word uncus which means "hook."

A painless procedure in which high frequency sound waves are used to generate pictures of the inside of the body. An ultrasound devise can be placed at the end of a scope, and the scope inserted into the duodenum, providing very detailed pictures of the pancreas. This is called "endoscopic ultrasound."

This term simply refers to a "mass" or neoplasm. For example, a collection of pus is a tumor. This is a general term that can refer to either benign or malignant growths.

A clot within the blood vessels. It may occlude (block) the vessel or may be attached to the wall of the vessel without blocking the blood flow.

An inflammation of the veins accompanied by thrombus formation. It is sometimes referred to as Trousseau's sign.

The long thin part of gland in the left part of abdomen, near the spleen.

A slender hollow tube inserted into the body to relieve a blockage. For example, pancreas cancers often grow into the bile duct as the bile duct passes through the pancreas. This can block the flow of bile and cause the patient to become jaundiced. In these cases the flow of bile can be reestablished by placing a stent into the bile duct, through the area of blockage.

Excessive amounts of fat in the stool. Sometimes this can appear as an oil slick on top of the toilet water after the patient has had a bowel movement. It can be a sign that the pancreas isn't functioning well.

A classification system that is used to describe the extent of disease. Clinicians use it to predict the likely survival of a patient.

A flat, scale-like cell. Although most pancreatic cancers look like ducts under the microscope, a small fraction look like squamous cells.

A maroon colored, rounded organ in the upper left part of the abdomen, near the tail of the pancreas. This organ is part of your immune system and filters the lymph and blood in your body. It is often removed during the distal pancreatectomy surgical procedure.

A long (20 foot) tube that stretches from the stomach to the large intestine. It helps absorb nutrients from food as the food is transported to the large intestine. There are three sections: the duodenum, the jejunum and the ileum. Due to its proximity to the pancreas, the duodenum is the section of the small intestine most often affected by pancreatic cancer.

An infection of the blood. This can be life-threatening and is often treated with antibiotics.

A malignant tumor that looks like connective tissues (bone, cartilage, muscle)under the microscope. Sarcomas are extremely rare in the pancreas.

Able to be removed surgically. Usually this means that the cancer is confined to areas typically removed surgically.

The use of high-energy waves similar to x-rays to treat a cancer. Radiation therapy is usually used to treat a local area of disease and often is given in combination with chemotherapy.

A thick ring of muscle (a sphincter) between the stomach and duodenum. This sphincter helps control the release of the stomach contents into the small intestine.

A forecast for the probable outcome of a disease based on the experience of large numbers of other patients with similar stage disease. Importantly, making a prognosis is not an exact science. Some patients with poor prognosis beat the odds and live longer than anyone would have predicted. Steve Dunn's Cancer Guide has an excellent article on statistics and prognoses and stories of other cancer patients.

A cancer in the organ where it started in. A primary cancer of the pancreas is one that started in the pancreas as opposed to a cancer that started somewhere else and only later spread to the pancreas.

The biochemical study of plants; concerned with the identification, biosynthesis, metabolism of chemical constituents of plants; especially in regards to natural products.

Around the ampulla of Vater in the duodenum. The peri-ampullary region is comprised of 4 structures; the ampulla, the duodenum, the bile duct and the head of the pancreas. It is sometimes difficult to tell which structure a tumor originated in. In such cases the diagnosis will be a peri-ampullary tumor.

A medical doctor specially trained to study disease processes. Pathologists make the microscopic diagnosis that is used to establish the diagnosis of cancer.

A term used to describe certain tumors which grow in finger-like projections. Pathologists use this term to describe some precancerous lesions in the pancreas (intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm).

Any treatment that reduces the severity of a disease or its symptoms. Palliative care is often a part of the treatment plan for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

An oblong organ located between the stomach and the spine. The pancreas secretes enzymes needed for the digestion of food and it produces hormones such as insulin and glucagon which help control blood sugar.

A surgically created opening in an organ that can also be referred to as an anastamosis. Sometimes when surgeons remove a segment of bowel they create an ostomy to allow for the bowel contents to exit the body.

A medical doctor who specializes in the treatment of tumors. Oncologists often treat patients with pancreatic cancer with chemotherapy.

An abnormal new growth of tissue that grows more rapidly than normal cells and will continue to grow if not treated. These growths will compete with normal cells for nutrients. This is a general term that can refer to benign or malignant growths. It is a synonym for the word tumor.

Chemotherapy and radiation therapy that is given to patients before surgery. Some centers feel that the use of neoadjuvant therapy improves local and regional control of disease and that it may make more patients surgical candidates.

The thin section of the pancreas between the head and the body of the gland.

An alteration in the DNA of a cell. Think of it as a typographically error in the DNA code.

A cancer that has spread from one organ to another. Pancreas cancer most frequently metastasizes to the liver. In general, cancers that have metastasized are generally not treated surgically, but instead are treated with chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy.

A cancer that has the potential of invading nearby tissues, spreading to other organs (metastasizing) and possibly leading to the patient's death.

A painless method for visualizing internal organs. A tube-like machine with a powerful magnet generates images of the inside of the body. It does not involve the use of Xrays.

Normal, round, raisin to grape-sized collections of lymphocytes (white blood cells) found throughout the body. Lymph nodes are connected to each other by lymphatic vessels. They normally help fight infection, but also are one of the first sites to which cancers spread. In general, the spread of cancer to lymph nodes portends a worse prognosis for the patient. There are exceptions to this.

A primary pancreatic cancer that has spread to regional lymph nodes and/or resectable (removable) tissues. Removable tissues include some lymph nodes and parts of the duodenum and stomach that are routinely removed in some surgical treatments for pancreatic cancer.

The largest organ in the body, located in the right upper part of the abdomen. It performs many life-maintaining functions including the production of bile. The liver detoxifies the blood of drugs, alcohol and other harmful chemicals. It processes nutrients absorbed by the intestine and stores essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Bilirubin is a chemical produced when old or damaged blood cells breakdown. The liver chemically process the bilirubin so that it can dissolve in water and be excreted through the urine. When this process is disrupted, jaundice can develop.

A technique that surgeons can use to visualize and even biopsy (take tissue samples of) organs inside of the abdomen without making large incisions. Very small incisions are made in the belly and small tubes (called trocars) are then inserted. Gas is pumped in through one of the tubes to create enough space to work in. The surgeon inserts a small camera through one of the tubes and examines the lining and contents of the abdominal cavity by looking at the projected image on the television screen. With specially designed laparascopic instruments, biopsies and fluid samples can be taken for examination. Some surgeons feel that this technique can help "stage" a patient less invasively than with open surgery.

Yellowing of the skin or yellowing of the whites of the eyes caused by the accumulation of bile pigments (usually due to an obstruction of the bile ducts).

A hormone produced by the endocrine cells of the islets of Langerhans cells of the pancreas. Insulin acts to lower blood sugar levels.

A term used to indicate that cancerous cells are present in the duct but have not yet invaded deeper tissues.

The widest part of the pancreas. It is found in the right part of abdomen, nestled in the curve of the duodenum, which forms an impression in the side of the pancreas.

A hormone produced by the endocrine (islets of Langerhans) cells of the pancreas. When blood sugar levels are low, glucagon acts to raise blood sugar levels.

Gemzar is the trade name for the chemotherapy drug gemcitabine. It is frequently used to treat pancreatic cancer. It has been shown, in controlled clinical trials, to improve quality of life.

A green pear-shaped organ located on the right side of the abdomen just under the liver. The gallbladder is essentially a reservoir for holding bile.

A chemotherapeutic drug commonly used to treat pancreatic cancer.

The exocrine cells (acinar cells) of the pancreas produce and transport chemicals that will exit the body through the digestive system.

The chemicals that the exocrine cells produce are called enzymes. They are secreted in the duodenum where they assist in the digestion of food.

A test used to visualize and examine the pancreas and bile ducts. A tube is inserted through a patient's nose (or throat), down through the esophagus and stomach then into the small intestine (duodenum). There, a small probe is inserted into the ampulla of Vater. A dye is injected through the probe and into the pancreatic and bile ducts. X-rays are then taken to visualize the pancreatic and bile ducts. these ducts can be seen as white structures (this is because the injected dye is opaque). Because pancreas cancers often block the pancreatic and/or bile ducts, this technique can be useful in establishing a diagnosis of pancreas cancer.

A chemical that causes a reaction in other substances, in this case as a part of the digestive process.

A medical doctor who specializes in the treatment of hormonal abnormalities.

These are specialized cells that produce hormones released into the bloodstream. For example, the islets of Langerhans are endocrine cells in the pancreas that produce the hormone insulin. This hormone helps control blood sugar(glucose) levels.

Some rare tumors of the pancreas, the endocrine (Islet Cell) tumors, can produce these same hormones. It is very important that these rare tumors be properly diagnosed because it will determine the treatment and prognosis.

Surgical removal of a structure or part of a structure. For example, pancreatectomy is the surgical removal of the pancreas (or a portion of it).

The first portion of the small intestine. It is about 1 foot long. It is the part of the intestinal track that comes after the stomach.

A small anatomic structure. This is essentially a tube that carries various bodily fluids. The pancreatic duct runs the full length of the pancreas and drains into the duodenum.

The chemical in every cell that carries genetic information.

A dome shaped muscle that separates the lungs and heart from the abdomen. This muscle assists in breathing.

The disease in which the body is unable to appropriately control blood sugar (glucose) levels. This may be caused by failure of the pancreas to produce adequate amounts of insulin.

A fluid filled sac. Some tumors of the pancreas, including the serous cystadenomas and intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms, form cysts. Cysts have a distinct appearance in CT scans. They are important to recognize because the treatment of cystic tumors can differ from that for solid tumors.

A dye, taken by mouth or injected, that is sometimes used during x-ray examinations to highlight areas that otherwise might not be seen.

A way to image internal organs. A series of x-ray pictures taken by a machine that encircles the body like a giant tube. Computers are then used to generate cross-sectional images of the inside of the body.

The treatment of a cancer by chemicals. For pancreatic cancer these include: Gemzar (Gemcitabine), 5-flurouracil, leukovorin, taxol, and others.

A small, flexible tube inserted into the body to inject or suck out fluids.

A cancer-causing chemical. Cigarette smoke contains a number of carcinogens.

A malignant tumor. It has the potential of invading into the adjacent tissues, spreading to other organs and may eventually lead to the patient's death.

A dramatic weight loss and general wasting that occurs during chronic disease.

A blood marker for pancreas cancer. It is not a good screening test for diagnosing possible pancreas cancers in individuals without symptoms. Instead, it can be useful in following the progress of patients known to have a cancer by measuring how their cancer is responding to treatment.

The middle part of the pancreas between the neck and the tail. The superior mesenteric blood vessels run behind this part of the gland.

The removal and microscopic examination of a small tissue sample.

A duct that carries bile from the liver to the intestine. This term may refer to the hepatic, cystic or common bile duct.

A green fluid produced by the liver that helps digest fats. It is transported from the liver to the duodenum by the bile duct. When the flow of bile is blocked, patients may become jaundiced (yellow skinned).

Tumors which are non-cancerous. These generally grow slowly and do not invade adjacent organs or spread (metastasize) beyond the pancreas.

The collection of excess amounts of fluid in the abdominal cavity (belly). It often is a sign that the cancer has spread to either the liver or to the portal vein that goes to the liver, or that the cancer involves the internal lining of the abdomen. If normal liver function is affected, a complex set of biochemical checks and balances is disrupted and abnormal amounts of fluid are retained.

The large artery that carries oxygen-rich blood from the heart. From the heart it arches backwards and descends into the abdomen where it gives off many branches to supply the organs. The superior mesenteric artery is a major branch of the aorta that can be involved by pancreatic cancer.

A radiographic technique used to visualize blood vessels. A contrast medium (a dye) is usually injected into the vessels to make them appear white on the x-rays.

A condition marked by a diminished apetite and aversion to food. Often results in physical signs of wasting.

A condition characterized by a deficiency in red blood cells. This can lead to fatigue among other symptoms.

A surgical joining of two hollow structures. It is similar to attaching two ends of a garden hose. For example, a gastrojejunostomy is a surgical procedure that connects the stomach and the jejunum (small intestine.)

This widening of the pancreatic duct as it reaches the duodenum is an landmark for physicians. It is where the bile duct and pancreatic duct join before draining into the duodenum (small intestine). Tumors in the head of the pancreas may squeeze this duct partially or completely closed. This can lead to problems with digestion and jaundice.

Chemotherapy given to patients after their cancers have been surgically removed. It is a secondary treatment given to supplement surgical treatment. (see Neoadjuvant chemotherapy which is chemotherapy given before surgery)

A benign (non-cancerous) tumor made up of cells that form glands (collections of cells surrounding an empty space).

The form of cancer that most people are talking about when they refer to "cancer of the pancreas." These tumors account for 75% of all pancreas cancers.

Microscopically, adenocarcinomas form glands. These tumors can grow large enough to invade nerves which can cause back pain. They also frequently spread (metastasize) to the liver or lymph nodes. If this happens the tumor may be considered unresectable.

A pus-filled cavity. Usually caused by an infection.

The portion of the body between the diaphragm and the pelvis.