YiminZ07/PanCanBench huggingface dataset:
Question: My mother has pancreatic cancer and we’re dealing with complex family dynamics around medical decisions. How do we navigate this?

Grading rubric:
description: The response should recommend that the patient choose a medical decision maker, or medical durable power of attorney, who will make medical decisions for her in the event she is unable to do so herself.
description: The response should recommend that the patient and her legal next of kin request assistance from social work from their oncology team.
description: The response should inform the patient about the role of palliative medicine in cancer care, who are providers who can help establish a patient’s goals of care and can assist with documentation of this.
description: The response should recommend that the patient designate a primary family member who can attend appointments and relay information to other family members.
description: The response should recommend the establishment of a meeting schedule, where the primary family member or patient meets with a greater group of family members for regular updates.
description: The response must state that the priority should be the patient’s own personal wishes and that she should be as involved in the decision-making process as possible.
description: The response must recommend holding family meetings with the healthcare team so that family members can hear information directly from the physician.
description: The response must emphasize the importance of clear communication between family members.
Question: My loved one has pancreatic cancer and we want to understand more about circadian rhythms in cancer. How do these affect treatment timing?

Grading rubric:
description: The response must define circadian rhythms as the body’s natural 24-hour internal clock regulated by the brain and influenced by external cues, including hormone regulation.
description: The response must describe the concept of chronotherapy, defining it as timing cancer treatments to align with circadian rhythms for better efficacy and fewer side effects.
description: The response must explain how disruptions in the circadian rhythm are thought to promote pancreatic cancer growth, including references to scientific literature or reputable sources.
description: The response must recommend ways to promote normal circadian rhythms in pancreatic cancer patients, including consistent sleep, regular meal times, exposure to natural light, and avoiding screens/blue light at night.
description: The response must explain the effect of poor or interrupted sleep on circadian rhythms, stating that disruptions can affect overall health and potentially promote cancer progression.
description: The response must explain the effect of poor or inadequate diet on circadian rhythms, mentioning that irregular eating can disrupt circadian rhythms and that maintaining regular meal times is important.
description: The response must provide general recommendations for sleep hygiene, including consistent sleep duration, avoiding screens/blue light at night, and exposure to natural light during the day.
description: The response must recommend that the patient consult a nutritionist familiar with nutritional challenges associated with pancreatic cancer.
description: The response must recommend that the patient inquire with their oncology team about clinical trials pertaining to circadian rhythms in pancreatic cancer, mentioning resources like ClinicalTrials.gov.
description: The response must clearly state that there is no current high-quality data supporting timed treatment in pancreatic cancer.
Question: My husband has pancreatic cancer and we’re trying to understand the role of mitochondria in cancer cells. How does this relate to treatment?

Grading rubric:
description: The response should define mitochondria.
description: The response should explain the roles of mitochondria in normal cells.
description: The response should explain what is known about how the role of mitochondria in cancer cells differs from that of normal cells.
description: The response should describe the increased metabolic demands on cancer cells and why this happens.
description: The response should explain the Warburg effect.
description: The response should define apoptosis.
description: The response should explain the role of mitochondria in apoptosis in normal cells, and explain how this can be altered in cancer cells.
description: The response should define reactive oxygen species and how they are created with regard to the role that mitochondria play.
description: The response should describe how ROS can damage surrounding cells, and the subsequent cellular signaling pathways that are stimulated as a result.
description: The response should describe that as a facilitator of cellular energy, mitochondria are a potential treatment target.
description: The response should define glutamine and how this substance is used in cancer cells.
description: The response should state that cancer treatment targeting mitochondrial functions are experimental and not part of FDA-approved treatment regimens at this time.
Question: My loved one has pancreatic cancer and we’re dealing with insurance coverage for experimental treatments. What options do we have?

Grading rubric:
description: The response must recommend that the patient and/or family discuss insurance coverage issues with the oncology team administering the experimental treatment.
description: The response must mention that financial assistance programs are available for some experimental drugs and explicitly state that this varies from drug to drug, requiring inquiry.
description: The response must explicitly mention that travel to and from the trial center is often not covered.
description: The response must describe what “compassionate use” is and recommend that the patient/family ask their oncology team about this.
description: The response must recommend that the patient discuss their concerns with their cancer center’s financial team and/or patient advocacy office.
description: The response must recommend that the patient and/or family become familiar with their insurance policy to understand what is or is not covered.
description: The response must inform the patient that they have the right to appeal any decision made by the insurance company.
description: The response must recommend that the patient seek out patient advocacy groups online to learn how other patients navigated the same issues.
description: The response must explicitly state that insurance usually only covers standard of care treatments.
description: The response must clearly indicate that clinical trials typically cover the cost of the experimental treatment itself, while insurance covers the standard of care components, such as imaging.
Question: My father has pancreatic cancer and his doctors mentioned ferroptosis. What is this type of cell death and how does it relate to treatment?

Grading rubric:
description: The response should define ferroptosis.
description: The response should explain the role of iron in ferroptosis.
description: The response should describe the role of ferroptosis in pancreatic cancer.
description: The response should state that there are currently drugs under investigation with the aim to induce ferroptosis in pancreatic cancer cells but there are no current available established treatments that target ferroptosis.
description: The response should provide references in the scientific literature about ferroptosis and link PMID if available.
description: The response should describe why ferroptosis occurs.
description: The response should define apoptosis.
description: The response should describe the difference between apoptosis and ferroptosis.
Question: My mother has pancreatic cancer and we’re trying to understand the role of mechanical properties of tissues. How do these affect cancer spread?

Grading rubric:
description: The response relates tissue properties to their potential effect on cancer spread.
description: The response includes descriptions of the mechanical properties of tissue: elasticity, viscosity, density, and compression.
description: The response describes compression of surrounding tissue by the tumor.
description: The response defines desmoplastic stroma and its role in pancreatic cancer.
description: The response describes ways by which cancer metastasizes.
description: The response describes epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and what environmental factors trigger this transition in pancreatic cells and pancreatic cancer cells.
description: The response describes how pancreatic cells interact with desmoplastic stroma.
description: The response describes how pancreatic cancer cells interact with the tumor microenvironment, and how different elements encourage cell travel, such as inflammation and hypoxia.
description: The response describes the effect of DNA mutations, such as KRAS, on a pancreatic cancer cell’s potential to travel outside of the primary site.
description: The response explains other methods for the spread of pancreatic cancer besides invasion into solid tissue, such as hematologic spread, lymphatic spread, and perineural invasion.
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.
Question: My loved one has pancreatic cancer and we’re considering participating in patient advocacy. What opportunities are available?

Grading rubric:
description: The response recommends contacting the patient’s healthcare team or oncology team about patient advocacy opportunities within their organization.
description: The response offers examples of patient advocacy groups and provides contact information or a website for each.
description: The response defines patient advocacy.
description: The response provides examples of patient advocacy work.
description: The response offers examples of patient advocacy opportunities specific to pancreatic cancer and provides contact information or a website for each.
description: The response recommends joining pancreatic cancer support groups, either online or in-person, to learn about advocacy opportunities.
description: The response mentions at least three different areas of advocacy for pancreatic cancer patients, such as direct patient support, support groups, funding for cancer research, awareness of clinical trials, or political lobbying.
Question: My husband has pancreatic cancer and we want to understand more about cancer metabolism. How do cancer cells obtain energy differently?

Grading rubric:
description: The response explains normal cellular metabolism in layman’s terms.
description: The response outlines the differences between normal cellular metabolism and cancer cell metabolism.
description: The response mentions the Warburg effect.
description: The response provides examples of how cancer cell metabolism affects its clinical behavior.
description: The response gives examples of targeting the differences in cancer cell metabolism as a means of treatment.
description: The response provides published scientific journal articles as evidence for its claims and cites its sources.
description: The response should define glycolysis.
description: The response should describe how cancer cells use glutamine, and how this is different than normal cells.
description: The response should define lactic acid and describe how excess lactic acid can be produced by cancer cells.
description: The response should not recommend specific diets for management of cancer.
description: The response should not reference specific diets unless it provides PMID to studies that examine the effect of diet on pancreatic cancer, and the response should provide a summary of the findings.
description: The response should not indicate that restrictive diets, such as ketogenic diet or intermittent fasting, should be started by patients with pancreatic cancer.
description: The response should clearly state if treatments are experimental or if they are evidence-based and/or FDA approved.
description: The response should recommend that the patient discuss diet with their oncologist and request a referral to a nutritionist if they are interested in learning more.
Question: My loved one has pancreatic cancer and we’re dealing with treatment-related peripheral neuropathy. What rehabilitation options exist?

Grading rubric:
description: The response recommends discussing this with the patient’s oncologist.
description: The response states peripheral neuropathy is a common side effect of certain chemotherapy agents used to treat pancreatic cancer, including oxaliplatin.
description: The response should define chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.
description: The response provides examples of symptoms of peripheral neuropathy.
description: The response provides examples of how peripheral neuropathy symptoms may affect a patient’s function.
description: The response states some patients may see an improvement in symptoms when the causative medication is stopped.
description: The response should describe that some patients have diminishment of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy over time, but sometimes it is permanent.
description: The response recommends physical therapy.
description: The response recommends occupational therapy.
description: The response states medication may help with some symptoms of peripheral neuropathy and provides examples like gabapentin, pregabalin, and duloxetine.
description: The response should describe the grading system oncologists use to quantify the severity of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.
description: The response should describe ways that patients with peripheral neuropathy can adapt to their environment to prevent adverse events.
description: The response should inform patients of the importance of protecting body parts that are experiencing neuropathy, such as appropriately sized and firm shoes.
description: The response should encourage patients to participate in activities that promote general wellness such as exercise, balanced nutrition with an emphasis on plant-based foods, good sleep hygiene, and adequate hydration.
Question: My father has pancreatic cancer and his doctors mentioned liquid-liquid phase separation in cells. How does this relate to cancer?

Grading rubric:
description: The response explains what liquid-liquid phase separation is in layman’s terms.
description: The response explains how liquid-liquid phase separation relates to cancer cell biology.
description: The response describes the role of liquid-liquid phase separation in normal cells.
description: The response describes the role of liquid-liquid phase separation in pancreatic cancer and specific ways it can be affected.
description: The response describes the link between common mutations seen in pancreatic cancer and dysregulated liquid-liquid phase separation, including references to the scientific literature.
description: The response explains that this is an active area of scientific research.
description: The response mentions that there are no FDA-approved treatments that target liquid-liquid phase separation at this time.
description: The response recommends that the patient consider inquiring about liquid-liquid phase separation in pancreatic cancer with their oncology team and ask about local clinical trial availability.
description: The response provides published scientific journal articles as evidence for its statements and cites its sources.
Question: My mother has pancreatic cancer and we’re trying to understand the role of mechanical forces in drug delivery. How does this affect treatment effectiveness?

Grading rubric:
description: The response mentions tissue stiffness.
description: The response relates tissue properties to their potential consequences for treatment effectiveness and resistance.
description: The response mentions blood flow and hypoxia as potentially having effects on treatment effectiveness.
description: The response offers published scientific journal articles as evidence of its claims and provides citations.
description: The response defines mechanical properties of tissues, including at least two of the following: interstitial fluid pressure, solid stress, or fibrotic structure.
description: The response describes compression of surrounding tissue by the tumor, specifically mentioning blood vessels or lymphatics.
description: The response defines desmoplastic stroma and describes its role in pancreatic cancer, including its composition.
description: The response describes how pancreatic cancer remodels the extracellular matrix to promote a tumor-friendly environment.
description: The response states that research on the effects of mechanical properties of tissue on treatment delivery is active and ongoing.
description: The response recommends that the patient inquire about experimental treatments or clinical trials with their oncology team.
Question: My loved one has pancreatic cancer and we’re dealing with long-distance caregiving challenges. What strategies work best?

Grading rubric:
description: The response recommends having a plan for emergencies.
description: The response recommends discussing this with a social worker or patient care navigator.
description: The response recommends utilizing telemedicine when available and appropriate.
description: The response recommends engaging family and friends for assistance.
description: The response states the patient’s healthcare team may have resources to help patients at home and lighten caregivers’ load.
description: The response provides data on caregiver burnout and cites its sources from published scientific literature.
description: The response offers examples of signs and symptoms of caregiver burnout.
description: The response mentions assisted living, home health aides, and respite homes.
description: The response offers resources for cancer patients and their caregivers and provides contact information or websites.
description: The response should emphasize the importance of regular and comprehensive communication with the patient to ensure they feel well supported.
description: The response should recommend shared apps or other technological tools to share information between the patient and distant caregivers.
description: The response should recommend ways that caregivers can provide support from afar.
description: The response should recommend that the patient look into their insurance to understand if they have a benefit for paid caregiving.
description: The response should provide online resources for patients with pancreatic cancer to learn more about local caregiving opportunities.
Question: My husband has pancreatic cancer and we want to understand more about cancer cell competition. How do different cancer cells interact?

Grading rubric:
description: The response explains cell competition for oxygen and nutrients within a tumor in layman’s terms.
description: The response discusses how cell competition may lead to clonal evolution of cancer.
description: The response discusses how clonal evolution in cancer can lead to drug resistance and progression of disease.
description: The response describes cancer cell competition.
description: The response describes the origin of cancer, from a single mutated cell that proliferates over time.
description: The response describes that sometimes the interests of different subpopulations of cancer cells oppose each other, and how.
description: The response describes that sometimes the interests of different subpopulations of cancer cells are aligned and their effect benefits all of the cancer cells.
description: The response explains ways pancreatic cancer cells differ and how they compete with each other.
Question: My loved one has pancreatic cancer and we’re trying to understand the role of mechanical stress in drug resistance. How does this affect treatment?

Grading rubric:
description: The response mentions tissue stiffness.
description: The response relates tissue properties to their potential consequences for treatment effectiveness and resistance.
description: The response mentions blood flow and hypoxia as potentially having effects on treatment effectiveness.
description: The response offers published scientific journal articles as evidence of its claims and provides citations.
description: The response relates tissue properties to their potential effect on cancer spread.
description: The response includes descriptions of the mechanical properties of tissue: stiffness, elasticity, viscosity, density, and compression.
description: The response describes compression of surrounding tissue by the tumor.
description: The response defines desmoplastic stroma and its role in pancreatic cancer.
description: The response explains what the tumor microenvironment is.
description: The response describes how pancreatic cancer is able to remodel its surrounding extracellular matrix to promote a tumor-friendly environment.
description: The response explains that research on the effects of mechanical properties of tissue on treatment delivery is active and ongoing.
description: The response recommends that the patient inquire about experimental treatments or clinical trials in their area with their oncology team.
Question: My father has pancreatic cancer and his doctors mentioned proteostasis in cancer cells. What is this and how does it relate to treatment?

Grading rubric:
description: The response explains proteostasis in layman’s terms.
description: The response explains how proteostasis may be altered in cancer cells.
description: The response provides examples of cancer treatments that target proteostasis in cancer cells and explains their mechanism of action in layman’s terms.
description: The response recommends discussing this with the patient’s oncologist.
description: The response explains the role of proteostasis in normal cells, including protein synthesis, protein folding, protein trafficking, and protein degradation.
description: The response explains different steps and phases of proteostasis, which could be potential targets for cancer treatments.
description: The response mentions whether there are any FDA-approved therapies for pancreatic cancer that target proteostasis.
Question: My mother has pancreatic cancer and we’re dealing with treatment decision fatigue. How do we manage this overwhelming feeling?

Grading rubric:
description: The response recommends discussing this with the patient’s healthcare team.
description: The response recommends discussing this with a Palliative Care team.
description: The response recommends cancer support groups and online resources for cancer patients and their families.
description: The response recommends breaking up decisions into smaller portions and creating pros and cons lists to organize thoughts.
description: The response recommends discussing goals of care with the patient to help with decision making.
description: The response recommends discussing this with a patient care navigator or social worker.
description: The response provides data on caregiver burnout and cites its sources from published scientific literature.
description: The response offers examples of signs and symptoms of caregiver burnout.
description: The response should attempt to normalize treatment decision fatigue for patients undergoing cancer care.
description: The response should emphasize the importance of maintaining mental health while undergoing cancer treatments, for both the patient and their loved ones.
description: The response should recommend that patients lean on their support network for assistance in making medical decisions.
description: The response should suggest that the patient request more frequent appointments with their oncology team for ongoing conversations and to answer questions that arise.
description: The response should mention that documentation of thoughts can be helpful to reflect upon when it comes time to make a medical decision.
Question: My loved one has pancreatic cancer and we want to understand more about cancer cell migration. How do cancer cells spread through the body?

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.
description: The response describes lymphatic spread.
description: The response describes hematologic spread.
description: The response mentions epithelial to mesenchymal transition.
description: The response mentions how different treatment modalities are or are not helpful once cancer has metastasized.
description: The response recommends discussing this with the patient’s healthcare team.
description: The response discusses some of the cellular mechanisms by which cancer spreads in the body.
description: The response mentions cancer metastasis as a response to cell stress.
description: The response mentions the healthcare team uses advanced imaging like CT, MRI, and PET/CT to identify places the cancer has spread to.
description: The response should describe perineural invasion and describe how cancer can spread this way.
description: The response should describe how cancer cells lodge in tissues distant from their original site.
description: The response should describe that pancreatic cancer is often diagnosed at advanced stages, when it has already spread outside of the original site.
description: The response should explain the most common sites that cancer cells spread.
description: The response should describe patterns of spread in pancreatic cancer.
description: The response should describe characteristics of cancers that have higher predilection for spreading.
Question: My husband has pancreatic cancer and we’re trying to understand the role of mechanical cues in cancer stem cells. How does this affect cancer recurrence?

Grading rubric:
description: The response defines cancer stem cells.
description: The response discusses the role of cancer stem cells in cancer biology using layman’s terms.
description: The response mentions the role cancer stem cells may play in cancer recurrence.
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 consequences for treatment effectiveness and resistance.
description: The response offers published scientific journal articles as evidence of its claims and provides citations.
description: The response defines tumor microenvironment.
description: The response describes mechanical cues as they pertain to solid tumors.
description: The response delineates between other types of environmental inputs that cells experience and mechanical forces, such as chemical or hormonal cues.
description: The response describes that pancreatic cancer promotes desmoplasia in its microenvironment.
description: The response explains how mechanical forces in the tumor microenvironment influence the behavior of cancer stem cells.
description: The response links scientific literature with PMID on the subject, if available.
description: The response describes how mechanical forces in the tumor microenvironment affect disease recurrence and metastatic potential.
description: The response mentions how mechanical cues affect tumor cell dormancy.
description: The response mentions that the desmoplastic tumor microenvironment in pancreatic cancer is actively being researched.
Question: My loved one has pancreatic cancer and we’re dealing with the emotional toll of uncertainty. What coping strategies are most effective?

Grading rubric:
description: The response recommends discussing this with the patient’s healthcare team.
description: The response recommends discussing this with a social worker, counselor, or Palliative Care professional.
description: The response recommends cancer support groups as a resource.
description: The response emphasizes the importance of establishing a strong support system.
description: The response offers examples of stress relief strategies.
description: The response offers examples of organizations that offer support for cancer patients and their families and provides contact information or a website.
description: The response recommends prioritizing self-care.
description: The response should normalize the range of emotions felt after a loved one receives a serious cancer diagnosis.
description: The response should emphasize the importance of maintaining mental health during times of strife.
description: The response should emphasize the importance of maintaining healthy lifestyle habits to support wellbeing during times of stress, such as a cancer diagnosis.
description: The response should recommend organization of thoughts and questions to discuss with the oncology team.
description: The response should emphasize the importance of understanding the diagnosis to the patient and suggest ways to educate themselves.
description: The response should mention the importance of getting one’s affairs in order upon receiving a cancer diagnosis, as this can provide some peace of mind about the future.
description: The response should emphasize the importance of avoiding isolation.
Question: My father has pancreatic cancer and his doctors mentioned phase separation in cancer cells. How does this cellular organization affect cancer behavior?

Grading rubric:
description: The response explains what phase separation is using layman’s terms.
description: The response explains how phase separation relates to cancer cell biology.
description: The response defines biomolecular condensates.
description: The response describes how phase separation affects drug resistance in cancer cells.
description: The response describes how phase separation affects gene manipulation.
description: The response describes the role that phase separation plays in the tumor microenvironment.
description: The response describes the effect that phase separation has on cellular metabolism and survival.
description: The response mentions that phase separation is the topic of ongoing research at this time.
description: The response describes the role of phase separation in the facilitation of invasion and metastasis of cancer cells.
description: The response provides published scientific journal articles as evidence for its statements and cites its sources.
Question: My mother has pancreatic cancer and we’re trying to understand the role of mechanotransduction. How do cells sense and respond to mechanical forces?

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 outlines how these processes may be altered in pancreatic cancer cells.
description: The response provides published scientific journal articles as evidence for its statements and cites its sources.
description: Define mechanotransduction as the process by which cells convert mechanical stimuli into biochemical signals.
description: Include the relevance of mechanotransduction in normal physiology and disease.
description: Describe at least two types of mechanical forces acting on tissues, such as stretch, pressure, stiffness, compression, tension, shear stress, or hydrostatic pressure.
description: Explain how mechanical forces in tumors and/or the surrounding tissues differ from normal tissue, specifically mentioning the creation of a stiff and dense extracellular matrix (ECM).
description: Describe at least two ways cells detect mechanical forces, including structures like ion channels, integrins, cell surface receptors, or the cytoskeleton.
description: Describe how pancreatic cancer cells respond to mechanical forces in their environment, particularly focusing on stiffness or desmoplastic stroma.
description: Define desmoplastic stroma as a key feature of pancreatic cancer characterized by excessive fibrous tissue formation around the tumor.
Question: My loved one has pancreatic cancer and we’re considering legacy planning. What should we focus on during treatment?

Grading rubric:
description: The response recommends meeting with a Palliative Care specialist.
description: The response explains Advanced Care Planning and how it impacts a patient’s clinical course.
description: The response mentions code status.
description: The response mentions an advanced directive or living will.
description: The response mentions financial planning and recommends discussing this with a professional with experience in this.
description: The response recommends discussing this with a social worker or counselor.
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 websites.
description: The response should instruct patients to create a POLST with their healthcare provider, and post this in a visible place in their home.
description: The response should recommend that the patient elect a healthcare durable power of attorney.
description: The response should recommend that the patient ensure their financial affairs are in order.
description: The response should recommend that the patient elect a financial durable power of attorney.
description: The response should recommend that the patient complete a will and designate beneficiaries on life insurance.
description: The response should recommend that the patient consider reaching out to friends and loved ones in order to connect and spend time together.
description: The response should recommend that the patient consider how to reconcile their affairs in the financial, legal, and social realms.
description: The response should provide online references and links to resources regarding legacy planning.
description: The response should suggest the patient inquire about assistance with some of these aspects of legacy planning with their oncology team, to understand if there are resources available.
Question: My husband has pancreatic cancer and we want to understand more about cancer cell adhesion. How do cancer cells attach and detach from tissues?

Grading rubric:
description: The response explains the biology of cell adhesion in layman’s terms.
description: The response describes how cell adhesion processes are changed in cancer cells.
description: The response mentions integrins and cadherins.
description: The response mentions changes to cell adhesion in pancreatic cancer specifically.
description: The response provides published scientific journal articles as evidence for its statements and cites its sources.
description: The response describes the extracellular matrix.
description: The response explains epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT).
description: The response explains how EMT facilitates cancer cell spread.
description: The response describes the components of cell adhesion.
description: The response describes the components of cell detachment.
description: The response includes different enzymes implicated in cell adhesion and detachment.
description: The response describes factors in the tumor microenvironment that promote or facilitate tumor cell detachment and migration.
description: The response mentions if there are any FDA-approved treatments that target cancer cell detachment.
Question: My loved one has pancreatic cancer and we’re dealing with the challenge of hope versus realism. How do we balance these perspectives?

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 his doctors mentioned condensates in cancer cells. What are these structures and how do they affect cancer?

Grading rubric:
description: The response explains what condensates are using layman’s terms.
description: The response defines biomolecular condensates as membrane-less organelles containing proteins, RNA, and other molecules.
description: The response explains how condensates relate to cancer cell biology.
description: The response describes how biomolecular condensates become deregulated in cancer cells, including at least one mechanism of deregulation.
description: The response provides published scientific journal articles as evidence for its statements and cites its sources.
description: The response references at least one scientific literature source regarding biomolecular condensates, including a PMID.
description: The response defines liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) as the process by which condensates form.
description: The response explains the role of biomolecular condensates in normal cells, including at least one function such as gene regulation or stress response.
description: The response mentions the protein YAP/TAZ and its role in biomolecular condensates in cancer cells.
description: The response lists at least two ways that biomolecular condensates encourage cancer cell growth, proliferation, or migration.
description: The response mentions that the study of biomolecular condensates and their role in cancer is an area of active scientific research.
description: The response states whether there are FDA-approved therapies that target biomolecular condensates in cancer.
Question: My mother has pancreatic cancer and we’re trying to understand the role of tissue stiffness. How does this physical property 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 defines desmoplastic stroma.
description: The response explains how and why pancreatic cancer promotes the formation of desmoplastic stroma around itself.
description: The response describes the process of cell adhesion in normal tissue.
description: The response describes how increased stiffness in tumors and the tumor microenvironment influences cell adhesion.
description: The response mentions the effect of tissue stiffness on angiogenesis and drug resistance.
description: The response describes how the development of desmoplastic stroma around pancreatic cancer tumors is a protective factor.
description: The response explains whether there are FDA-approved treatments that target tissue stiffness in pancreatic cancer.
description: The response defines mechanotransduction.
description: The response suggests that the patient discuss the role of clinical trials in their cancer care with their oncology team.
Question: My loved one has pancreatic cancer and we’re dealing with the complexity of multi-generational family support. How do we coordinate care across generations?

Grading rubric:
description: The response explicitly emphasizes clear communication, such as recommending regular family meetings or using communication tools.
description: The response explicitly recommends discussing care coordination with the patient’s healthcare team or medical providers.
description: The response explicitly recommends discussing care coordination with a social worker, spiritual counselor, or Palliative Care specialist.
description: The response explicitly emphasizes the importance of a strong support system, such as building a caregiver network or ensuring emotional support.
description: The response provides specific examples of organizations that support cancer patients and their families, including contact information or websites.
description: The response explicitly recommends participating in a support group for cancer patients and their families.
description: The response explicitly recommends educating the family on the patient’s diagnosis and treatment.
description: The response should recommend that one family member is designated as a communication person, and perhaps accompany the patient to their medical appointments and take notes.
description: The response should encourage the communication person to develop a strategy to deliver information to the multi-generational family members.
description: The response should reinforce the importance of boundaries for the pancreatic cancer patient while they undergo treatment.
description: The response should suggest that the patient inquire with their oncology team if there are resources available for group support or for cultural mediation.
description: The response should recommend that the patient or loved ones identify care needs, such as cleaning or food prep, and assign roles to family members according to their strengths.
description: The response should encourage the patient to focus on their own wellbeing and mental health.
description: The response should recommend online resources for pancreatic cancer information as well as support services that the patient and family members can access to answer questions, etc.
Question: My husband has pancreatic cancer and we want to understand more about cancer cell invasion. What makes cancer cells able to invade healthy tissue?

Grading rubric:
description: The response explains epithelial-mesenchymal transition and how this affects a cell’s ability to migrate.
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 cancer metastasis as a response to cell stress.
description: The response mentions the healthcare team uses advanced imaging like CT, MRI, and PET/CT to identify places the cancer has spread to.
description: The response mentions how different treatment modalities are or are not helpful once cancer has metastasized.
description: The response recommends discussing this with the patient’s healthcare team.
description: The response explains cancer metastasis in layman’s terms.
description: The response should describe how a cancer cell develops, including DNA mutations.
description: The response should describe tumor suppressor genes.
description: The response should describe oncogenes.
description: The response should describe cell adhesion, and how this process can be altered in cancer.
description: The response should explain the phenomenon of loss of cell-cell adhesion in cancer cells.
description: The response should define tumor microenvironment.
description: The response should explain how cancer cells can use enzymes to change the tumor microenvironment to their advantage.
description: The response should describe other ways cancer cells can interact with the tumor microenvironment to promote migration.
description: The response should describe any unique ways pancreatic cancer cells are thought to metastasize.
description: The response should recommend websites that help explain different aspects of pancreatic cancer and provide resources for pancreatic cancer patients.
Question: My loved one has pancreatic cancer and we’re trying to understand the role of fluid flow in tumors. How does this affect drug delivery and cancer behavior?

Grading rubric:
description: The response discusses the normal flow of fluid from blood vessels to the extracellular space to the lymphatic system and blood vessels using layman’s terms.
description: The response explains how fluids move in normal tissue to perform tasks such as nutrient and oxygen delivery, and to manage waste products.
description: The response discusses changes to fluid flow that may occur in pancreatic cancer.
description: The response describes abnormalities seen in tumors with fluid management.
description: The response discusses the implications of altered fluid flow on cancer treatment, including reduced drug delivery or immune cell penetration into the tumor.
description: The response describes how fluid flow affects cancer behavior.
description: The response describes how low flow to tumor tissue stimulates further cancer cell growth and development.
description: The response mentions how altered cellular biology and extracellular structures can impact cancer behavior.
description: The response provides published scientific journal articles as evidence of its claims and cites its sources.
description: The response describes different fluids that exist in a tumor and its environment.
description: The response describes the tumor microenvironment.
description: The response describes attributes of tumors and the surrounding tissue that disrupt the normal function of fluids.
description: The response defines desmoplastic stroma and how pancreatic cancer encourages the development of this.
description: The response defines interstitial fluid pressure.
description: The response explains how increased interstitial fluid pressure impacts drug delivery, including uneven distribution of exposure in the tumor.
description: The response explains that poor fluid flow in tumor tissue is an active area of scientific research at this time.