Gastroenterology
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Several studies have examined structural brain changes associated with chronic pain syndromes, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but study sample sizes have been small and heterogeneous. ⋯ Changes in density of gray matter among regions involved in cognitive/evaluative functions are specifically observed in patients with IBS, whereas changes in other areas of the brain can be explained by levels of anxiety and depression.
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Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly invasive and metastatic disease for which conventional treatments are of limited efficacy. A number of agents in development are potential anti-invasive and antimetastatic agents, including the Src kinase inhibitor dasatinib. The aim of this study was to assess the importance of Src in human PDAC and to use a genetically engineered mouse model of PDAC to determine the effects of dasatinib on PDAC progression. ⋯ This study confirms the importance of Src in human PDAC and shows the usefulness of a genetically engineered mouse model of PDAC for assessing the activity of potential antimetastatic agents and suggests that dasatinib should be evaluated further as monotherapy after resection of localized invasive PDAC.