Pancreatic cancer, unseen at its earliest stages by any other method, can be detected by examining tissue from inside the duodenum, the uppermost section of the small intestine. The pancreatic duct communicates with the duodenum via the Ampulla of Vater. Researchers have shown that cells in a roughly 3 cm radius from this feature can show signs of the presence of cancer.

Full story at:
http://nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=109781

Accolades:
“Zina,
Thank you for putting visuals together. They are really excellent. I was lucky that you were working with us!”

--Vadim Backman
Biomedical Engineering Department
Northwestern University

“The animation of Vadim Backman’s work on the NSF web site is wonderful.”

--Jacques Van Dam
Gastroenterology
Stanford University

Also featured in:
Popular Mechanics
http://www.popularmechanics.co.za/content/news/singlepage.asp?key=723

Science in Society, Northwestern
http://scienceinsociety.northwestern.edu/content/articles/2008/shining-light-pancreatic-cancer

Biosingularity
http://biosingularity.wordpress.com/2009/03/01/determining-risk-for-pancreatic-cancer/

MedicineWorld
http://medicineworld.org/stories/lead/3-2010/synthetic-compound-for-pancreatic-cancers.html

Photonics
http://www.photonics.com/ArticlePrint.aspx?AID=30519

and Encyclopedia of Family Health, Alpha House Publishing