A synthetic1 derivative2 of vitamin D was found by Salk Institute researchers to collapse3 the barrier of cells shielding pancreatic tumors, making this seemingly impenetrable cancer much more susceptible4 to therapeutic5 drugs. The discovery has led to human trials for pancreatic cancer, even in advance of its publication today in the journal Cell. By attacking a wound repair mechanism6 called fibrosis, the findings may also have implications for other tough-to-treat tumors, such as lung, kidney and liver cancer.While the success of this drug in humans with pancreatic cancer is still unclear, the findings in animal studies were strong, raising hope that ongoing7 clinical trials will give people with this terrible disease hope for a truly new type of therapy, says Ronald Evans, director of Salks Gene8 expression Laboratory and senior author of the new paper.Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest forms of cancer, a fact highlighted in recent years by the deaths of well-known figures such as Steve Jobs and Patrick Swayze. about 46,000 people are diagnosed in the United States each year and about 40,000 people die from the disease, according to the National Institutes of Health.For pancreatic cancer, the five-year survival rate is the lowest of all cancers, says Evans, holder9 of Salks March of Dimes10 Chair and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator11. Part of the problem is that the science of pancreatic cancer and its renowned12 resistance to therapy has not been understood and thats why the work that were doing is so important.
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1 synthetic adj.合成的，人工的；综合的；n.人工制品 参考例句： We felt the salesmans synthetic friendliness.大家感觉到那位销售人员的虚情假意。 Its a synthetic diamond.这是人造钻石。
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