Dear Supporters,

January 2026 Update

Thank you for your commitment to The Lori Project and for signing our petition. Our mission is to advocate for annual ultrasounds starting at age 40 to enable early detection of abdominal cancers including those affecting the pancreas, liver, kidney, gallbladder, and spleen where current pre-symptom screening options are limited. 

Research Findings and Policy Assessment

Over the past year, we have conducted research into abdominal cancers and the healthcare policies that govern early detection. Our findings indicate that, despite the merit of early screening, current medical guideline particularly those set by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) do not support routine abdominal ultrasounds for asymptomatic individuals who are not at elevated risk. The USPSTF reaffirms that the potential benefits of such screening do not outweigh the risks, and policy changes require evidence of significant reductions in mortality.

A key challenge is the short window during which tumors are detectable by basic imaging typically only 1 to 3 years late in the cancer’s development. Additionally, 5-year survival rate for these cancers remain low, even when detected in early stages which is below 50%. 

As a result, the projected impact on mortality is not sufficient to drive policy changes under current standards.

Implications for Advocacy

Our initial approach was to address these cancers collectively, aiming to demonstrate a greater potential benefit. However, the data does not support a significant enough increase in early diagnoses or lives saved to justify a change in policy at this time. Meaningful progress will require new treatments that substantially improve early-stage survival rates.

Policy References

The USPSTF, supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), maintains a “D” recommendation against routine screening for pancreatic cancer in asymptomatic adults.

https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/pancreatic-cancer-screening

Survival rates for abdominal cancers remain low, even at early stages. 

https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/pancreas.html

https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/livibd.html

Next Steps for The Lori Project

Given these findings, The Lori Project will pivot to serve as a resource for quarterly updates on the most promising treatments and early detection tools in development. We remain optimistic that advances in research will soon improve outcomes for those affected by abdominal cancers. Quarterly updates will be posted here:  https://teamlorimorgan.com/the-lori-project-1 beginning in April 2026.

Emerging Early Detection Tools

Blood-Based Biomarkers: Panels of protein, DNA, or RNA markers such as CA19-9 and IMMray PanCan-d are showing promise for early detection.

Liquid Biopsy: Detection of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) or exosomes in blood samples offers a minimally invasive screening method.

Salivary and Urinary Biomarkers: Research is underway to identify cancer-specific changes in saliva or urine, providing additional noninvasive options.

Promising Treatments in Development

Immunotherapy: New checkpoint inhibitors and personalized vaccines are being trialed to enhance immune response.

Targeted Therapies: Agents such as PARP inhibitors and KRAS inhibitors are demonstrating encouraging results for patients with specific genetic profiles.

Combination Therapies: Integrating chemotherapy, radiation, and targeted agents is improving outcomes.

Stromal Modulation: Drugs that alter the tumor microenvironment are making cancer cells more accessible to treatment.

Nanotechnology-Based Drug Delivery: Nanoparticles are being developed to deliver chemotherapy directly to tumor cells, increasing efficacy and reducing side effects.

Moving Forward

All of us need to continue to support and advocate for improved screening and treatment options. We encourage you to stay engaged, help raise awareness, and support research funding efforts. Together, we can work toward a future where early detection and higher survival rates become a reality for abdominal cancer patients.

Thank you for your support.

Kind Regards,

Allen Morgan

Team Lori Morgan

Email: teamlorimorgan@gmail.com