YiminZ07/PanCanBench huggingface dataset:
Question: My father has pancreatic cancer and we’re dealing with the challenge of maintaining dignity during treatment. What approaches help preserve this?

Grading rubric:
description: The response explicitly recommends discussing dignity-preserving approaches with the patient’s oncologist.
description: The response explicitly recommends discussing dignity-preserving approaches with a Palliative Care specialist.
description: The response explicitly mentions Advance Care Planning and includes either Advance Directives or Living Wills.
description: The response explicitly recommends establishing the patient’s goals of care, including understanding and documenting the patient’s preferences and involving them in decision-making.
description: The response explicitly recommends support groups for cancer patients.
description: The response provides specific examples of organizations that support cancer patients and their families, including contact information or websites for each.
description: The response should attempt to normalize feelings of loss of control for cancer patients at the time of diagnosis and/or during cancer treatment.
description: The response should describe components of personal dignity.
description: The response should encourage the patient, family, and friends of the patient, and oncology care team to respect the patient’s bodily autonomy.
description: The response should encourage the patient to prioritize management of side effects and symptoms of cancer or cancer treatment.
description: The response should encourage the patient to communicate any side effects or symptoms of cancer or cancer treatment to their oncology care team to ensure they are being offered management solutions.
description: The response should encourage the patient and family to have open and ongoing communication about the patient’s wishes for medical care.
description: The response should recommend that the patient and loved ones promote independence and normalcy in the patient’s life as much as possible.
description: The response should encourage the patient to always remember that anything that happens to their body with regard to cancer treatment is their choice.
description: The response should recommend that the patient disclose any feelings of overwhelm or loss of autonomy with their oncology team and inquire about resources for support.
description: The response should emphasize the importance of prevention of caregiver burnout.
Question: My mother has pancreatic cancer and we want to understand more about cancer cell contractility. How do mechanical forces generated by cells affect cancer?

Grading rubric:
description: The response explains how cells respond to mechanical stress, including processes like ECM remodeling, increased contractility, and effects on proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and drug resistance.
description: The response explicitly relates tissue properties, such as stiffness and fibrous stroma, to their potential effect on cancer spread, including invasiveness and metastasis.
description: The response explicitly relates tissue properties to their potential consequences for treatment effectiveness and resistance, including drug penetration and resistance mechanisms.
description: The response explains how cells sense mechanical stress, including mechanosensing mechanisms like mechanoreceptors, integrins, or mechanotransduction pathways.
description: The response provides specific citations from published scientific journal articles as evidence for its statements.
description: The response must explain normal cell contractility, including the role of the actomyosin complex in generating mechanical forces for movement.
description: The response must define actin, including its role in cellular structure and function.
description: The response must define myosin, including its function in cell contractility.
description: The response must explicitly describe the tumor microenvironment, including its components and characteristics.
description: The response must define the extracellular matrix, including its composition and function.
description: The response must define mechanobiology, including its relevance to cancer progression.
description: The response must explain epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), including its occurrence in pancreatic cancer cells and its impact on cancer spread.
Question: My loved one has pancreatic cancer and we’re trying to understand the role of extracellular matrix. How does this tissue scaffolding affect cancer?

Grading rubric:
description: The response defines the extracellular matrix and explains its role in normal cellular biology.
description: The response contrasts the role of the extracellular matrix in cancer cell biology with normal cell biology.
description: The response discusses the potential consequences of an altered extracellular matrix for cancer treatment effectiveness and resistance, including examples like decreased drug and immune cell penetration.
description: The response discusses the potential consequences of an altered extracellular matrix on cancer cell biology, including examples like angiogenesis and metastasis.
description: The response provides published scientific journal articles as evidence for its statements and cites its sources.
description: The response describes the different components of the extracellular matrix in normal tissue.
description: The response describes how the extracellular matrix changes in pancreatic cancer.
description: The response explains how the changes in the extracellular matrix in pancreatic cancer promote cancer growth and facilitate movement of cancer cells.
description: The response defines desmoplastic stroma.
description: The response defines tumor microenvironment.
description: The response describes how desmoplastic stroma causes hypoxia in the tumor microenvironment.
description: The response describes how hypoxia in the tumor microenvironment causes inflammation, and how this promotes cancer growth.
description: The response describes how the desmoplastic stroma in the pancreatic cancer microenvironment contributes to treatment resistance.
description: The response describes how the desmoplastic stroma in the pancreatic cancer microenvironment can cause symptoms and complications due to mechanical forces on the surrounding structures, specifically mentioning the effect on blood vessels.
Question: My husband has pancreatic cancer and we’re dealing with the challenge of maintaining relationships during this difficult time. What strategies work?

Grading rubric:
description: The response explicitly recommends discussing relationship challenges or support strategies with the patient’s oncologist.
description: The response explicitly recommends discussing relationship challenges with a social worker, spiritual counselor, or Palliative Care specialist.
description: The response explicitly recommends joining a support group for cancer patients or their families.
description: The response explicitly emphasizes the importance of self-care.
description: The response explicitly emphasizes the importance of having a support system during cancer treatment.
description: The response provides specific examples of organizations that support cancer patients and their families, including contact information or websites.
description: The response should recommend that loved ones of a patient with pancreatic cancer seek education about the disease and common symptoms.
description: The response should encourage open communication between the patients and their loved ones.
description: The response should encourage the patient to seek support from their loved ones.
description: The response should attempt to normalize the stress that patients feel after receiving a pancreatic cancer diagnosis.
description: The response should recommend against behaviors that might isolate the patient after a serious medical diagnosis.
description: The response should recommend that the patient prioritize symptom control to feel as normal as possible.
description: The response should indicate that some people may not feel comfortable discussing a serious cancer diagnosis with a friend or loved one, and that this can be a normal response.
description: The response should recommend that the patient observe which people in their social circle want to be supportive, and to lean on these people.
description: The response should recommend that the patient continue to reach out to friends and loved ones, and try to participate in the same activities they previously did, to maintain relationships.
description: The response should suggest that the patient consider creating boundaries with people, including how to handle unsolicited advice.
description: The response should recommend that the patient consider activities where they can be fully present with the people they are with, for the best quality interactions.
Question: My loved one has pancreatic cancer and we want to understand more about cancer cell mechanosensing. How do cancer cells detect and respond to their mechanical environment?

Grading rubric:
description: The response explains how cancer cells detect mechanical characteristics of their environment.
description: The response explains how cancer cells respond to mechanical characteristics of their environment.
description: The response outlines how mechanosensing processes may be altered in pancreatic cancer cells.
description: The response defines mechanosensing.
description: The response describes mechanosensing in normal cells.
description: The response defines desmoplastic stroma and describes its development in pancreatic cancer.
description: The response describes integrins, cytoskeleton, ion channels, and membrane sensors.
description: The response explains the YAP/TAZ pathway and its role in the development of desmoplastic stroma in pancreatic cancer.
description: The response mentions if there are FDA-approved therapies that target the cancer cells’ ability to mechanosense.
description: The response describes how cancer cells migrate in response to cues from mechanical forces in their environment.
description: The response defines epithelial-mesenchymal transition.
description: The response provides published scientific journal articles as evidence for its statements and cites its sources.
Question: My father has pancreatic cancer and we’re trying to understand the role of pressure in tumors. How does elevated pressure affect treatment delivery?

Grading rubric:
description: The response explains the normal flow of fluid from blood vessels to the extracellular space to the lymphatic system, including nutrient and oxygen delivery and waste management.
description: The response describes how fluid flow becomes compromised in tumors, including increased intratumoral pressure due to abnormal blood vessels, poor lymphatic drainage, and dense stroma.
description: The response discusses the implications of altered fluid flow on cancer treatment, specifically mentioning reduced drug delivery and immune cell penetration.
description: The response explains how increased interstitial fluid pressure impacts drug delivery, including uneven distribution of exposure in the tumor.
description: The response discusses the impact of altered fluid flow on radiation therapy due to hypoxia.
description: The response mentions the impact of altered cellular biology and extracellular structures on cancer behavior, including tumor growth, metastasis, and resistance to therapy.
description: The response describes how low flow to tumor tissue stimulates further cancer cell growth and development.
description: The response defines desmoplastic stroma and how pancreatic cancer encourages its development.
description: The response defines interstitial fluid pressure.
description: The response describes ways that increased pressure from interrupted fluid dynamics and desmoplastic stroma can cause compression on surrounding structures, leading to blockages and symptoms.
description: The response provides specific published scientific journal articles as evidence of its claims, with proper citations.
description: The response explains that poor fluid flow in tumor tissue is an active area of scientific research at this time.
Question: My mother has pancreatic cancer and we’re dealing with the emotional impact on our extended family. How do we support everyone affected?

Grading rubric:
description: The response recommends clear communication with the family regarding how everyone is dealing with the patient’s cancer diagnosis.
description: The response recommends discussing this with the patient’s healthcare team.
description: The response recommends discussing this with a social worker, spiritual counselor, or Palliative Care specialist.
description: The response emphasizes the importance of self-care and healthy boundaries.
description: The response emphasizes the importance of a strong support system for patients with cancer.
description: The response provides examples of organizations that support cancer patients and their families and includes contact information or websites.
description: The response recommends participating in a support group for cancer patients and their families.
description: The response recommends educating the family on the patient’s diagnosis and treatment.
description: The response should encourage that family members provide emotional support to each other.
description: The response should recommend pursuit of professional mental health counseling for family members of a patient with pancreatic cancer.
description: The response should recommend resources that patients and families of patients with pancreatic cancer can access for information about the disease.
description: The response should list sources and/or websites for support groups for patients with pancreatic cancer and their family members.
description: The response should encourage family members to provide assistance and support to their loved ones affected by pancreatic cancer.
Question: My loved one has pancreatic cancer and we want to understand more about cancer cell deformability. How does the ability of cells to change shape affect cancer spread?

Grading rubric:
description: The response explains cancer metastasis in layman’s terms.
description: The response gives examples of how cancer spreads in the body, including direct invasion by the tumor, spread through the lymphatic system, and spread through the blood.
description: The response discusses some of the cellular mechanisms by which cancer spreads in the body.
description: The response mentions epithelial to mesenchymal transition.
description: The response mentions cancer metastasis as a response to cell stress.
description: The response explains cancer cell deformability.
description: The response defines extracellular matrix and cytoskeleton.
description: The response explains cell adhesion processes.
description: The response describes how cell deformity changes in cancer cells as compared to normal cells.
description: The response describes the impact of enhanced deformability of cancer cells on their ability to metastasize.
description: The response describes how cancer cells with increased ability to deform survive stresses that normal cells would not.
description: The response describes desmoplastic stroma in the pancreatic cancer tumor microenvironment.
description: The response explains how increased deformability capabilities are necessary for cells to travel within the desmoplastic stroma of pancreatic cancer.
Question: My husband has pancreatic cancer and we’re trying to understand the role of shear stress in cancer. How do fluid forces affect cancer cells?

Grading rubric:
description: The response explains the normal physiological flow of fluid from blood vessels to the extracellular space and lymphatic system in layman’s terms.
description: The response discusses changes to fluid flow in pancreatic cancer, such as increased intratumoral pressure, and how these changes differ from normal tissue.
description: The response addresses how altered fluid flow impacts cancer treatment, including drug delivery and immune cell penetration into tumors.
description: The response discusses the potential impacts of altered fluid flow on cancer behavior, including metastasis, proliferation, migration, and invasion.
description: The response provides at least one citation from a published scientific journal article as evidence for its claims.
description: The response defines shear stress.
description: The response describes what sources of shear stress exist in cancer cells.
description: The response defines mechanobiology.
description: The response explains that cancer cells can encounter shear stress forces in the tumor, in the bloodstream, and in lymph channels.
description: The response describes desmoplastic stroma and how this forms in pancreatic cancer’s tumor microenvironment.
description: The response explains the effect that the desmoplastic stroma has on fluid flow in and around a pancreatic cancer tumor.
description: The response explains how increased shear stress encourages cancer cells to proliferate and metastasize.
description: The response describes how shear stresses on cancer cells impact drug resistance.
Question: My loved one has pancreatic cancer and we’re dealing with the challenge of maintaining hope while being realistic about prognosis. How do we find this balance?

Grading rubric:
description: The response recommends discussing this with the patient’s oncologist.
description: The response recommends open communication between patient and caregivers.
description: The response recommends discussing this with a social worker, spiritual worker, counselor, or Palliative Care specialist.
description: The response recommends establishing the patient’s goals of care.
description: The response recommends cancer support groups as helpful resources.
description: The response provides examples of organizations with resources for cancer patients and their families and includes contact information or a website.
description: The response should emphasize the importance of maintaining mental health throughout the cancer diagnosis and treatment process.
description: The response should state that it is normal to feel this conflict in the face of a pancreatic cancer diagnosis.
description: The response should explain quality of life, and describe factors of cancer treatment that can impact the patient’s quality of life.
description: The response should provide online resources for pancreatic cancer information and support groups for the patient to consider reaching out to a community about their struggles.
Question: My father has pancreatic cancer and we want to understand more about cancer cell traction forces. How do the forces cells exert on their environment affect cancer?

Grading rubric:
description: The response explains the biology of how cells sense mechanical stress using layman’s terms.
description: The response discusses the biology of how cells respond to mechanical stress using layman’s terms.
description: The response relates tissue properties to their potential effect on cancer spread.
description: The response relates tissue properties to their potential consequences for treatment effectiveness and resistance.
description: The response provides published scientific journal articles as evidence for its statements and cites its sources.
description: The response defines traction forces that exist in normal cells.
description: The response defines the extracellular matrix.
description: The response describes how traction forces are changed in cancer cells, as opposed to normal cells.
description: The response describes how increased traction forces from pancreatic cancer cells on their environment promote cancer cell proliferation and migration.
description: The response describes changes in the pancreatic cancer environment that are prompted by traction forces from the cancer cells.
description: The response defines mechanotransduction.
description: The response defines desmoplastic stroma in pancreatic cancer’s tumor microenvironment.
description: The response describes the effect of desmoplastic stroma on cancer cell’s ability to metastasize.
description: The response describes how traction forces in cancer cells contribute to drug resistance in pancreatic cancer.
Question: My mother has pancreatic cancer and we’re trying to understand the role of viscosity in the tumor environment. How does tissue thickness affect cancer behavior?

Grading rubric:
description: The response relates tissue properties to their potential effect on cancer spread.
description: The response relates tissue properties to their potential consequences for treatment effectiveness and resistance.
description: The response mentions reduced blood flow and hypoxia as potential consequences of tissue thickness which may have effects on treatment effectiveness.
description: Define viscosity and explain its role in normal cells, including the term “viscosity” and its function in cellular environments.
description: Describe changes in viscosity within the pancreatic cancer microenvironment, mentioning “viscosity” and specific alterations in cancer.
description: Define the tumor microenvironment, using the term “tumor microenvironment” and describing its components.
description: Define desmoplastic stroma and explain its formation in pancreatic cancer, using the term “desmoplastic stroma” and describing its development.
description: Describe the influence of desmoplasia on cancer cells, mentioning “desmoplasia” and its effects on proliferation, migration, or invasion.
description: Describe how desmoplasia limits oxygen delivery to tumor tissue, attributing reduced oxygen delivery specifically to “desmoplasia.”
description: Explain how hypoxia affects cancer cell behavior, describing hypoxia’s role in selecting aggressive, therapy-resistant cells.
description: Describe how desmoplasia limits tumor access by the immune system, mentioning “desmoplasia” and its impact on immune cell infiltration.
description: Explain how desmoplasia causes drug resistance in pancreatic cancer, connecting “desmoplasia” to reduced treatment efficacy.
description: Explain how desmoplastic stroma selects for aggressive tumor cell behavior, linking “desmoplastic stroma” to increased migratory behavior.
description: The response offers published scientific journal articles as evidence of its claims and provides citations.
Question: My loved one has pancreatic cancer and we’re dealing with the challenge of cultural differences in medical decision-making. How do we navigate this sensitively?

Grading rubric:
description: The response recommends discussing this with a social worker, spiritual counselor, or Palliative Care specialist.
description: The response recommends respectful and open communication.
description: The response mentions cultural mediators.
description: The response recommends that the patient and family members communicate their important cultural beliefs to their oncology team for better understanding.
description: The response strongly recommends that a medical interpreter is present for all medical appointments.
description: The response suggests that the patient request more time for their appointments, especially if a medical interpreter is needed.
description: The response suggests the patient and/or family inquire about services a patient advocacy office could provide.
description: The response encourages the patient to communicate their preferences around medical decision-making with their oncology team.
description: The response recommends online resources for both patients and medical teams to learn about particular cultural norms around medical care.
description: The response recommends medical teams to complete thorough documentation on patient preferences surrounding communication and medical decision-making.
description: The response recommends organizations that support cancer patients and their families and includes contact information or a website for each.
description: The response recommends setting boundaries.
Question: My husband has pancreatic cancer and we want to understand more about cancer cell elasticity. How does cell stiffness or softness affect cancer progression?

Grading rubric:
description: The response mentions tissue stiffness.
description: The response relates tissue properties to their potential effect on cancer spread.
description: The response relates tissue properties to their potential effect on treatment.
description: The response offers published scientific journal articles as evidence of its claims and provides citations.
description: The response explains cancer cell deformability.
description: The response defines extracellular matrix and cytoskeleton.
description: The response explains cell adhesion processes.
description: The response describes how cell deformity changes in cancer cells as compared to normal cells.
description: The response describes the impact of enhanced deformability of cancer cells on their ability to metastasize.
description: The response explains ways that cancer cells migrate from the primary tumor, including hematologic and lymphatic spread, perineural invasion, and direct invasion.
description: The response describes how cancer cells with increased ability to deform survive stresses that normal cells would not.
description: The response explains how increased deformability capabilities are necessary for cells to travel within the desmoplastic stroma of pancreatic cancer.
Question: My loved one has pancreatic cancer and we’re trying to understand the role of confinement in cancer cell behavior. How does physical space restriction affect cancer cells?

Grading rubric:
description: The response describes how physical space restriction affects cancer cells, mentioning at least two effects such as “enhanced migration,” “nuclear deformation,” or “adaptation.”
description: The response explains how confinement enhances migration and invasion, using terms like “amoeboid migration,” “increased speed,” or “metastasis.”
description: The response explains how confinement can promote genetic mutations, mentioning “nuclear deformation,” “DNA damage,” or “genomic instability.”
description: The response explains how confinement enhances cancer cells’ ability to survive and adapt to stress, using terms like “upregulate survival signals,” “resistant to therapies,” or “mechanical stress.”
description: The response explains the biology of how cells sense mechanical stress using layman’s terms, including at least one analogy or example that avoids jargon.
description: The response discusses the biology of how cells respond to mechanical stress using layman’s terms, including at least one analogy or example that avoids jargon.
description: The response provides at least one specific citation from a published scientific journal article as evidence for its statements.
description: The response explicitly relates tissue properties to their potential effect on cancer spread, including at least one specific example or mechanism.
description: The response explicitly relates tissue properties to their potential consequences for treatment effectiveness and resistance, including at least one specific example or mechanism.
description: The response defines confinement in the context of cancer cells, using terms like “physical restriction,” “tumor microenvironment,” or “narrow spaces.”
description: The response defines desmoplastic stroma in pancreatic cancer, using terms like “dense,” “fibrous,” “scar-like tissue,” or “stiff extracellular matrix,” and describes its formation.
description: The response explicitly connects desmoplastic stroma to the confinement of cancer cells, explaining how it creates physical restriction.
description: The response mentions the role of hypoxia in pancreatic cancer and describes why pancreatic tumors are in a hypoxic environment, using terms like “low-oxygen” or “dense stroma.”
description: The response states that understanding confinement is an area of active scientific research.
Question: My father has pancreatic cancer and we’re dealing with the challenge of maintaining family traditions during treatment. What approaches help preserve meaningful activities?

Grading rubric:
description: The response recommends flexibility in plans and modifications to allow the father to participate in family traditions.
description: The response recommends discussing this with a social worker, spiritual worker, counselor, or Palliative Care specialist.
description: The response mentions the importance of a strong support system during cancer treatment.
description: The response provides examples of organizations with resources for cancer patients and their families and includes contact information or a website.
description: The response recommends open communication.
description: The response recommends cancer support groups as helpful resources.
description: The response should recommend that the patient prioritize management of cancer or cancer-treatment related side effects to feel as “normal” as possible to be present for himself and his family.
description: The response should recommend that the family members consider documentation of the family traditional events with their father, as a way to reminisce and honor his presence.
description: The response should encourage the family members to be thoughtful about ways their father can feel included in family events.
description: The response should suggest that the family seek their father’s input on what meaningful events and activities he desires to participate in.
Question: My mother has pancreatic cancer and we want to understand more about cancer cell swimming. How do cancer cells move through fluid environments?

Grading rubric:
description: The response explains cancer metastasis in layman’s terms, using accessible language and avoiding jargon, including the concept of cancer cells moving from the primary tumor to other parts of the body.
description: The response gives examples of how cancer spreads in the body, explicitly mentioning direct invasion by the tumor, spread through the lymphatic system, and spread through the blood.
description: The response discusses at least two cellular mechanisms by which cancer spreads in the body, such as amoeboid, mesenchymal, or collective migration, enzyme production, or environmental signals.
description: The response explicitly mentions epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) by name.
description: The response clarifies that cancer cells do not swim, explicitly stating they lack the cellular machinery (e.g., flagella or cilia) to do so.
description: The response should describe ways cancer cells migrate, including in solid tissues and through a fluid-filled environment.
description: The response should explain hematologic spread and lymphatic metastasis.
description: The response should explain amoeboid motility that some cancer cells can perform to actively travel through fluid.
description: The response should explain membrane fluctuations and how some cancer cells can do this to actively travel through fluid.
description: The response should explain chemical gradients and provide examples, and should define chemotaxis.
description: The response should describe passive movements of cancer cells in fluid-filled environments.
description: The response should provide links to the scientific literature that discusses ways cancer cells can move through fluid substances, with PMIDs if available.
description: The response should define desmoplastic stroma in pancreatic cancer.
description: The response should summarize ways pancreatic cancer cells migrate in their solid tissue environment.
description: The response should describe the most common way that pancreatic cancer cells are thought to spread.
Question: My loved one has pancreatic cancer and we’re trying to understand the role of surface tension in cancer. How do interfacial forces affect cancer cell behavior?

Grading rubric:
description: The response defines surface tension.
description: The response defines interfacial forces.
description: The response describes the influence of surface tension on pancreatic cancer cells, specifically mentioning cell detachment, migration, or tumor spheroid formation.
description: The response describes the role of interfacial forces during cancer cell metastasis, specifically mentioning cell detachment, migration, or invasion.
description: The response states interfacial tissue planes typically serve as barriers for cancer spread.
description: The response explains cancer metastasis in layman’s terms.
description: The response gives examples of how cancer spreads in the body, including direct invasion by the tumor, spread through the lymphatic system, and spread through the blood.
description: The response discusses some of the cellular mechanisms by which cancer spreads in the body.
description: The response mentions epithelial to mesenchymal transition.
description: The response describes cell-to-cell adhesion, specifically in the context of tumor spheroid formation and the balance with surface tension.
description: The response describes at least two mechanical cues in the tumor microenvironment, such as stiffness or surface tension, and how cancer cells sense these signals.
description: The response mentions desmoplastic stroma and its relevance to pancreatic cancer.
description: The response defines the extracellular matrix.
description: The response describes how normal cells and cancer cells interact with the extracellular matrix.
Question: My husband has pancreatic cancer and we’re dealing with the challenge of long-term uncertainty. How do we live with not knowing what the future holds?

Grading rubric:
description: The response explicitly recommends discussing uncertainty or care planning with the patient’s oncologist.
description: The response explicitly recommends discussing with a social worker, spiritual worker, counselor, or Palliative Care specialist.
description: The response explicitly recommends cancer support groups as helpful resources.
description: The response explicitly recommends establishing the patient’s goals of care.
description: The response explicitly recommends open communication between patient and caregivers.
description: The response provides examples of organizations with resources for cancer patients and their families.
description: The response should attempt to normalize the challenge of living with long-term uncertainty.
description: The response should recommend attempting to preserve normal routines in the home as much as possible.
description: The response should emphasize the importance of quality of life when facing a serious diagnosis.
description: The response should suggest ways to maintain good quality of life for patients.
description: The response should recommend that patients and family members learn about the disease to understand expected outcomes.
Question: My loved one has pancreatic cancer and we want to understand more about cancer cell climbing. How do cancer cells move along surfaces and fibers?

Grading rubric:
description: The response explains cancer metastasis in layman’s terms.
description: The response gives examples of how cancer spreads in the body, including direct invasion by the tumor, spread through the lymphatic system, and spread through the blood.
description: The response explains the biology of cell adhesion in layman’s terms.
description: The response mentions integrins and cadherins.
description: The response contrasts the biology of cancer cell adhesion with normal cell adhesion using layman’s terms.
description: The response provides published scientific journal articles as evidence for its statements and cites its sources.
description: The response mentions changes to cell adhesion in pancreatic cancer specifically.
description: The response should describe cell-to-cell adhesion and include definitions of integrins, collagen, and fibronectin.
description: The response should define extracellular matrix.
description: The response should define actin and myosin, and describe how these proteins act to deform cells to assist in traction and movement.
description: The response should define chemotaxis.
description: The response should define amoeboid migration.
description: The response should desmoplastic stroma.
description: The response should describe how pancreatic cancer forms desmoplastic stroma in its environment.
description: The response should describe how pancreatic cells interact with desmoplastic stroma.
description: The response should define tumor microenvironment.
description: The response should describe how pancreatic cancer cells interact with the tumor microenvironment, and how different elements encourage cell travel, such as inflammation and hypoxia.
description: The response should describe the effect of DNA mutations, such as KRAS, on a pancreatic cancer cell’s potential to travel outside of the primary site.
Question: My father has pancreatic cancer and we’re trying to understand the role of geometry in cancer. How do shapes and structures in tissues affect cancer progression?

Grading rubric:
description: The response describes how normal tissue structure is disrupted in solid cancer.
description: The response describes that cancer cells proliferate in an unchecked fashion, disrupting the architecture of their environment.
description: The response defines geometry in biology and medicine, and with regards to human cells and their surrounding structures.
description: The response describes that normal cells exist in a neat, orderly, and structured space within their respective tissues.
description: The response describes the components of normal tissue architecture, such as collagen and extracellular matrix.
description: The response describes desmoplastic stroma in pancreatic cancer.
description: The response describes the effect of desmoplastic stroma on pancreatic cell proclivity to migrate and spread.
description: The response mentions the role of blood vessels in drug delivery, and how this can be impacted by pancreatic tumors and desmoplastic stroma.
description: The response clearly explains cancer metastasis in layman’s terms, avoiding jargon and providing accessible explanations.
description: The response explicitly mentions all three main routes of cancer spread: direct invasion, lymphatic spread, and hematogenous spread.
description: The response discusses at least two cellular mechanisms by which cancer spreads, such as changes in cell shape, loss of adhesion, or influence of the microenvironment.
description: The response explicitly mentions epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) by name or describes the process.
description: The response mentions cancer metastasis as a response to cell stress, including stress-induced mechanisms.
Question: My mother has pancreatic cancer and we’re dealing with the challenge of maintaining privacy while seeking support. How do we balance these needs?

Grading rubric:
description: The response recommends respectful and honest communication.
description: The response recommends maintaining personal boundaries.
description: The response recommends cancer support groups as helpful resources.
description: The response provides examples of organizations with resources for cancer patients and their families and includes contact information or a website.
description: The response emphasizes the importance of a strong support system.
description: The response should inform the patient and family members that medical records are subject to HIPAA laws, which prevent divulgence of medical information unless a patient has specifically consented to this.
description: The response should recommend that the patient inform their oncology care team of their wishes to keep their diagnosis confidential.
description: The response should recommend that the patient and family members be careful and thoughtful with social media posting to maintain her confidentiality.
description: The response should recommend that the patient and/or family members seek a balance; it is OK to be selective with sharing her diagnostic information however isolation for patients and/or caregivers can accelerate burnout.
Question: My loved one has pancreatic cancer and we want to understand more about cancer cell squeezing. How do cancer cells move through tight spaces?

Grading rubric:
description: The response explains cancer metastasis in layman’s terms, avoiding jargon and providing context for a lay audience.
description: The response explicitly mentions and explains the three main routes of cancer spread: direct invasion by the tumor, spread through the lymphatic system, and spread through the blood.
description: The response discusses at least three cellular mechanisms by which cancer spreads, such as changes in cell shape, breakdown of the extracellular matrix, increased deformability, use of filopodia/invadopodia, or epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT).
description: The response explicitly mentions epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and explains its relevance to cancer cell migration and invasion.
description: The response mentions cancer metastasis as a response to cell stress.
description: The response should define the extracellular matrix.
description: The response should describe the different components of the extracellular matrix.
description: The response should define desmoplastic stroma and describe how this is formed in the pancreatic cancer environment.
description: The response should describe how cancer cells are able to deform their shapes.
description: The response should explain the cellular cytoskeleton and its main component parts, such as actin and myosin.
description: The response should describe amoeboid movement in cells and include a description of filopodia.
description: The response should describe mesenchymal movement in cancer cells and provide examples of enzymes used by cancer cells in this phenomenon.
description: The response should provide links to any scientific literature it references, including PMID.
description: The response should explain how cells can use ion gradients to prompt movement.
description: The response should describe the importance of pancreatic cancer cells’ ability to deform or “squeeze” in the desmoplastic stromal environment for survival and spread.
description: The response should include information about how the nucleus is thought to be deformable in cancer cell migration.
Question: My husband has pancreatic cancer and we’re trying to understand the role of topology in cancer. How do the connectivity and structure of tissue networks affect cancer spread?

Grading rubric:
description: The response defines topology.
description: The response describes how cancer spreads in the body, including direct invasion by the tumor, spread through the lymphatic system, and spread through the blood.
description: The response states that in cancer care, topology may relate to the organization of tissues, blood vessels, or lymphatics.
description: The response states the anatomic organization of cancer may impact the cancer’s stage or likelihood to respond to certain treatments like surgery or radiation.
description: The response explains cancer metastasis in layman’s terms.
description: The response discusses some of the cellular mechanisms by which cancer spreads in the body.
description: The response should describe tissue networks and their component parts.
description: The response should define the extracellular matrix and describe its component parts.
description: The response should describe the desmoplastic stroma that pancreatic cancer encourages to grow in its environment.
description: The response should describe how abnormal tissue, such as desmoplastic stroma, increases in density of tissue network structures and encourages cancer growth and spread.
description: The response should describe the roles of blood and lymph vessels in cancer spread.
description: The response should explain how disrupted tissue architecture can encourage cancer growth and spread.
description: The response should describe cell-to-cell adhesions in normal cells, and how cancer cells can disrupt these adhesions making them more able to migrate.
description: The response should describe how mechanical properties of tissue can stimulate tumor growth and spread.
Question: My loved one has pancreatic cancer and we’re dealing with the challenge of maintaining optimism for our children while being honest about the situation. How do we handle this?

Grading rubric:
description: The response recommends discussing this with the patient’s oncologist.
description: The response recommends discussing this with a social worker, spiritual worker, counselor, or Palliative Care specialist.
description: The response recommends honest and open communication between patient and caregivers.
description: The response recommends tailoring the discussion to the age of the children.
description: The response recommends cancer support groups as helpful resources.
description: The response provides examples of organizations with resources for cancer patients and their families and includes contact information or a website.
description: The response recommends establishing the patient’s goals of care.
description: The response should emphasize the importance of maintaining mental health throughout the cancer diagnosis and treatment process.
description: The response should state that it is normal to feel this conflict in the face of a pancreatic cancer diagnosis.
description: The response should explain quality of life, and describe factors of cancer treatment that can impact the patient’s quality of life.
description: The response should suggest that the patient and/or family members leverage support systems.
Question: My father has pancreatic cancer and we want to understand more about cancer cell collective migration. How do groups of cancer cells move together?

Grading rubric:
description: The response describes metastatic routes for pancreatic cancer, including local solid tissue invasion, hematologic spread, lymphatic spread, or perineural invasion.
description: The response discusses cell-to-cell adhesions in both normal cells and cancer cells, highlighting differences.
description: The response mentions integrins and cadherins.
description: The response explains cancer metastasis in layman’s terms.
description: The response discusses some of the cellular mechanisms by which cancer spreads in the body.
description: The response mentions epithelial to mesenchymal transition.
description: The response explains the biology of cell adhesion in layman’s terms.
description: The response provides published scientific journal articles as evidence for its statements and cites its sources.
description: The response explains the concept of “leader cells” and implies the presence of “follower cells” in a group of cancer cells.
description: The response describes amoeboid movement in cancer cells.
description: The response describes mesenchymal migration in cancer cells.
description: The response defines the extracellular matrix.
description: The response defines desmoplastic stroma.
description: The response describes how pancreatic cancer cells interact with desmoplastic stroma to encourage cancer cell growth and migration.
description: The response explains how “leader cells” influence a clump of traveling cancer cells.
description: The response defines at least one other protein involved in cell-to-cell adhesions.
description: The response describes how cells communicate with each other, such as through chemical signals or enzymes.