AQW 44152/11-15

Mr Fearghal McKinney
Social Democratic and Labour Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 24/03/2015
Answered On Date: 09/04/2015
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety for his assessment of the roles that (i) screening; (ii) personalised medicine; and (iii) access to MRI scanners, have in the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Answer:

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) provides advice on all aspects of medical screening. Using research evidence, pilot programmes and economic evaluation, the UK NSC assesses the evidence for screening against a set of internationally recognised criteria. Currently there is no evidence base to support a screening programme for pancreatic cancer.

All patients have a management plan individualised to their needs. Personalised Medicine specifically refers to the use of molecular or genetic information from the tumour to determine the approach to therapy. This approach to treating cancer is in development in Northern Ireland as it is internationally. However, a UK initiative called Precision-Panc aims to introduce a series of clinical trials based on the molecular phenotype of pancreatic cancers with the potential to improve the outcomes for patients. The HSC in Northern Ireland will consider the outcome of this initiative.

CT scanning is the usual imaging modality for the majority of pancreatic cancer patients. However MRI scanning is available for all those patients when clinically indicated.