Clinical Research Directory

This is a Phase 1 Trial of ZM008, an Anti-LLT1 Antibody, Used as Single Agent Followed by Combination Treatment With Toripalimab in Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors

This is a phase 1 dose escalation trial of ZM008, an anti-LLT1 antibody as a single agent followed by combination with Toripalimab in patients with advanced solid tumors who have exhausted all standard therapy available or are intolerant of the same.

Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy and Focal Adhesion Kinase Inhibitor in Advanced Pancreas Adenocarcinoma

Patients with advanced pancreas adenocarcinoma will be randomized on a 6:1 basis to receive standard of care chemotherapy followed by adaptive stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) with concurrent and adjuvant FAK inhibitor defactinib (experimental arm) or standard of care chemotherapy followed by SBRT (control arm). Patients enrolled to the experimental arm will be assessed for clinical outcomes such as progression free survival (PFS), local control, distant control, and toxicity. The initial 6 patients randomized to the experimental arm will be considered the safety lead-in and will be assessed for dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs). Following completion of the safety lead-in, additional patients will be accrued in order to reach a total of 36 patients on the experimental arm (inclusive of the safety lead-in cohort) and 6 on the control arm.

Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Borderline Resectable and Locally Advanced Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma

The objective of this research is to find out what effects (good and bad), the sequence of Gemcitabine - Abraxane (nab-Paclitaxel) followed by mFOLFIRINOX, the standard chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer, has on participants and their condition. Gemcitabine - Abraxane (nab-Paclitaxel) and mFOLFIRINOX has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as first line treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer. The sequence of Gemcitabine - Abraxane (nab-Paclitaxel) followed by mFOLFIRINOX has not been approved by the FDA for treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Trial Comparing Standard of Care Therapy With and Without Sequential Cytoreductive Intervention for Patients With Metastatic Foregut Adenocarcinoma and Undetectable Circulating Tumor-Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid (ctDNA) Levels

This is a randomized, open label, single-center, phase 2, randomized controlled trial of sequential cytoreductive intervention versus standard of care therapy for patients with intervenable oligometastatic (stage IV) cancer of the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract and undetectable ctDNA at the time of randomization after a three-month induction chemotherapy period.

Assoc. of Genomic Polymorphisms With Cancer Cachexia in Subjects With Panc Adenocarcinoma

A major complication of pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is cancer cachexia (CC) which is a complex syndrome characterized by skeletal muscle mass loss (with or without loss of fat mass) and progressive functional impairment not reversible by conventional nutritional support. It is estimated to occur in over 75% of patients with advanced PDAC, the highest incidence of all solid tumors, and contributes significantly to poor outcomes and mortality. Though there is overlap amongst the pathophysiologic studies evaluating CC in murine models of different tumor types, the high prevalence of CC within gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies and specifically PDAC suggest that dedicated studies evaluating polymorphisms in candidate genes specific to PDAC warrant further evaluation. The collection and analysis of specimens under this study will facilitate the identification and characterization of genomic polymorphisms associated with CC in PDAC patients. Subsequently, this data may help contribute towards diagnostic and therapeutic treatments that may improve patient outcomes.

Tumor Subtypes in Subjects on FOLFIRINOX With Non-Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer

This is a research study to evaluate how the genetic makeup of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) can affect the response to FDA-approved chemotherapy treatment, FOLFIRINOX, given before surgery to remove the tumor. Certain types of PDAC tumors can be surgically resected (removed). However, not all types of PDACs are resectable, especially if they are close to important structures like blood vessels or intestines. These types of PDACs are treated with chemotherapy such as FOLFIRINOX. Research studies showed that chemotherapy after surgical resection of PDAC tumors reduced the risk of the cancer returning. Chemotherapy is used to treat PDAC that has not spread outside of the pancreas and is not resectable. FOLFIRINOX is a chemotherapy treatment that combines multiple chemotherapeutic agents, including oxaliplatin, leucovorin, irinotecan, and 5-FU. Patients receive these agents by intravenous infusion. Of these drugs, 5-FU requires you to return home with a chemotherapy pump that will deliver chemotherapy over 46 hours. This regimen has been studied in pancreatic cancer that has been removed with surgery as a method for preventing the cancer from returning. Studies showed FOLFIRINOX chemotherapy reduced the risk of cancer returning and increased patients survival. In this study, researchers want to know if FOLFIRINOX chemotherapy given before surgery will make the cancer easier to remove with surgery and increase the chances of the cancer staying away after surgery. Researchers have shown that pancreatic cancers are not all the same when you look at the DNA and RNA that is inside a pancreatic cancer cell. Depending on the expression of different genes in a cancer cell, some pancreatic cancers may respond differently to chemotherapy. In this study researchers want to know if FOLFIRINOX chemotherapy can change the genetic profile of the cancer. This will be studied by obtaining a biopsy of the cancer before the start of chemotherapy, and after 8 treatments of chemotherapy. They will also study cancer cells that will be collected from blood samples.

Preventing Postoperative Complications in Patients Undergoing High-risk Pancreatoduodenectomy With a Bundle Approach Including Hydrocortisone, Octreotide, and the Teres Ligament Patch (PANENCA)

The PANENCA trial aims to reduce postoperative complications in patients undergoing pancreatoduodenectomy (also known as a Whipple procedure), a complex surgical operation performed to remove tumors located in or near the head of the pancreas. One of the most frequent and serious complications after this surgery is postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF), a leakage of pancreatic fluid from the surgical connection. POPF can lead to intra-abdominal infection, bleeding, and inflammation, often resulting in delayed recovery and postponement of subsequent oncological treatment. In severe cases, these complications may be life-threatening. Patients with a small main pancreatic duct (3 millimeters or less) are known to have a substantially higher risk of developing POPF. Previous studies have shown that several existing interventions may reduce the risk or severity of these complications. These include hydrocortisone, a medication that suppresses postoperative inflammation; octreotide, a medication that reduces the production of pancreatic secretions; and a surgical technique known as the ligamentum teres hepatis patch, which uses the patient's own tissue to protect nearby blood vessels in the event of a pancreatic leak. Because the development of pancreatic fistulas is multifactorial, the investigators hypothesize that a combined approach targeting different underlying mechanisms may provide a complementary and more effective protective effect than any single intervention alone. The PANENCA trial therefore evaluates whether the combined use of hydrocortisone, octreotide, and the ligamentum teres patch can reduce the rate of major postoperative complications after pancreatoduodenectomy. Patients participating in the study are randomly assigned to receive either the combination treatment in addition to standard perioperative care or standard perioperative care alone. The study medications are administered only during the first postoperative days, and the surgical patch is applied during the operation itself. No additional tests, monitoring procedures, or hospital visits are required beyond routine clinical care. This international, multicenter randomized trial includes patients at high risk for POPF who are undergoing pancreatoduodenectomy. The primary objective is to determine whether the combination treatment reduces the incidence of major postoperative complications. If proven effective, this bundle approach may be implemented more consistently across participating countries and incorporated into international clinical guidelines for pancreatic surgery.

24BRO681 : Alternating Gnp and mFOLFIRINOX for BR-PDAC

The purpose of this research is to study the effects and safety of alternating neoadjuvant chemotherapy on borderline resectable pancreatic cancer.

Testing the Combination of Two Approved Chemotherapy Drugs and Radiation Prior to Surgery in Localized Pancreatic Cancer

The purpose of this phase 2 research study is to determine whether a combination of chemotherapy drugs plus radiation therapy, given before surgery in resectable pancreactic cancer, can help to increase the chances of surgeons achieving and R0 resection. The chemotherapy drugs used are gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel. These drugs are both approved by the FDA for use in treating adults with pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The investigational portion of this study is providing the chemotherapy drugs and radiation therapy before surgery. Primary Endpoint, R) resection rate ≥70%. Secondary Endpoints, Disease free survival, Overall survival , Perioperative mortality and morbidity.

Neoadjuvant vs Upfront Surgery for Resectable Pancreatic Cancer and Periampullary Cancer

Adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery significantly improved the survival of pancreatic cancer (PC) patients, but there is a problem that only about 50% of patients start adjuvant chemotherapy after pancreatectomy. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy might control potential metastatic lesions which are not being detected in early disease status and improve the R0 resection rate. In addition, it prevents futile surgery by selecting patients with rapid progression of disease. Furthermore, compared to chemotherapy administered after surgery, more patients can complete the planned chemotherapy schedule in neoadjuvant setting. There are still few studies worldwide that prospectively explored the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in resectable PC and periampullary cancer and the administration of neoadjuvant therapy in resectable PC depends on individual clinical judgment. Therefore, systematic and prospective clinical trials are essential to standardize treatment protocol in resectable PC and periampullary Cancer. This randomized controlled trial compares neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery versus upfront surgery for patients with clearly resectable pancreatic head cancer and periampullary cancer. The study aims to determine if neoadjuvant chemotherapy improves overall survival compared to immediate surgery followed by adjuvant chemotherapy.

Genetic Testing Decision Aid

This is a randomized trial to evaluate the effectiveness of an electronic decision aid tool versus a traditional genetic counselor session for multi-gene panel testing for people with ovarian or pancreatic cancer

Predictive Risk Factors for Pancreatic Fistula After Pancreaticoduodenectomy

Pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is a complex procedure performed in patients with malignant or benign tumors of the pancreatic head and periampullary region, associated with high morbidity and mortality. Postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) is the most common and clinically significant complication following PD. In this study, the investigators aim to determine the predictive risk factors for clinically related postoperative pancreatic fistula (CR-POPF) in the preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative period in patients that underwent PD. The total number of 100 participants expected to be included in this research who underwent PD between 2025 and 2026.

Enfortumab Vedotin in Previously Treated Locally Advanced or Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer (EPIC)

A Phase II Open-Label Study of Enfortumab Vedotin in Patients with Previously Treated Locally Advanced, Recurrent, or Metastatic Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma (EPIC)

Para-aortic Lymphnodes Removal During Upfront Pancreaticoduodenectomy

Pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) associated with lymphadenectomy is the only curative option for patients affected by pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). In 2014, the International Study Group on Pancreatic Surgery (ISGPS) defined the "standard lymphadenectomy", that is mandatory during PD for PDAC. Lymphadenectomy should include the removal of the hepatoduodenal ligament nodes (stations 5, 6, 12b1, 12b2, 12c according the classification of Japanese Pancreas Society), nodes along the hepatic artery (station 8a), the posterior surface of the pancreatic head (station 13a and 13b), the superior mesenteric artery (14a right lateral side, 14b right lateral side) and nodes of the anterior surface of the pancreatic head (stations 17a and 17b). The inclusion of para-aortic lymphnodes (PALN) (station 16) in standard lymphadenectomy is still matter of debate. Moreover, some retrospectives or prospective studies reported that the presence of PALN metastases has a significant negative prognostic impact. Until now, no randomized studies comparing PD associated with standard lymphadenectomy with or without removal of PALN have been published. The aim of this study is to evaluate if the removal of station 16 should be routinely included in standard lymphadenectomy during PD for PDAC.

The Application of DNA Nanomachines for Detecting microRNA in Blood for the Diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer. Diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer

Previous research has shown that microRNAs in the blood can serve as biomarkers for early pancreatic cancer, with potential applications including detection, differential diagnosis, and prognosis prediction of pancreatic cancer. The current primary method for detecting microRNAs is RT-qPCR, but this process requires repeated temperature cycling, which demands high precision from the equipment. As an alternative, isothermal nucleic acid amplification technology does not require expensive temperature control instruments. Our research team has developed various isothermal nucleic acid amplification strategies for microRNA sensing platforms, applied to biological sample detection. This study combines the circular strand displacement amplification strategy with DNA nanomachines to develop a fluorescence sensing platform that performs dual signal amplification at a constant temperature. It is designed to detect pancreatic cancer-related microRNAs, exploring its role and potential applications in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer patients.

The Role of the Human Microbiome in Patients After Pancreatic Resection.

The goal of this observational study is to classify patients that undergo pancreatic resection for presumed pancreatic or periampullary malignancy into high and low risk groups for postoperative complications based on longitudinal saliva, rectal/faecal, tumor, blood and/or bile microbiome profiles. To identify the dynamics of the microbiome, as well as the possibly related short-term and long-term complications, multiple samples at different timepoints are needed from the patients.

Pancreatic Cancer and Synchronous Liver Metastases Resection Following Neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX

This is a prospective, pilot study from a single center. Patients will be evaluated and operated on by one of five surgeons with a subspeciality in hepato-biliary and pancreatic surgery. After thorough, standard of care assessment for both pancreatic primary and liver metastases resectability with blood tumor markers (CEA, CA 19-9 and CA-125), triphasic CT-scan and liver magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), patients with resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma primary and three or less resectable liver metastases will be prospectively included in the study. PET-scan may be added to the investigation depending on CT-scan or MRI results to prove metastatic disease or rule out extrahepatic metastases. Patients will receive a total of 12 cycles of perioperative FOLFIRINOX (FFX), with first reassessment with triphasic CT-scan to monitor tumor response after the first six cycles. Every patient will receive at least 6 cycles of FFX before surgery. The remaining six cycles will be received either preoperatively or postoperatively, depending on patient tolerance and tumor response at reassessment. Patients with liver metastases only visible on MRI will also have liver MRI at reassessment, which is also standard of care. Patients with evidence of tumor response on both imaging using RECIST V.1.1 criteria (stable disease or partial response), and blood tumor markers (≥ 80% decrease and/or normalization of all tumor markers) will then undergo pancreatic resection, either distal pancreatectomy or pancreatoduodenectomy depending on tumor side, with liver metastases excision. Each case will be followed with blood tumor markers and CT-scan every three months for two years, and every four months afterwards or until recurrence, which is standard of care for patients with metastatic PDAC. For patients without evidence of tumor response on imaging, or \< 80% decrease of all tumor markers, the standard palliative systemic treatment will be continued.

NIR-Fluorescence Guided Surgical Resection of Neoadjuvant Treated Localized Pancreatic Cancer Using SGM-101

Pancreatic carcinoma has a dismal prognosis at time of diagnosis, due to late onset of clinical symptoms, patients present with advance disease. Complete surgical resection is the only potential curative treatment, however only a small percentage is eligible for upfront total surgical resection due to extension into anatomical related important vascular structures. Neoadjuvant chemo(radio)therapy has become the standard treatment modality for non-primary resectable disease (borderline resectable and locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC)), where subsequent downstaging can make identification of the primary tumor more challenging during surgery. Near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging can aid surgeons by providing real-time visualization of tumors, suspect lymph nodes and vital structures during surgery. Additional intra-operative feedback could possibly reduce the frequency of positive resection margins and increase complete removal of locally spread tumor and involved lymph nodes and could thereby improve patient outcomes as well as overall survival. SGM-101 is a targeted NIR-fluorophore, with specific binding capacity for Carcino Embryonic Antigen (CEA) which is overexpressed on tumor cells in the gastro-intestinal tract, including pancreatic cancer.

Analyzing and Solving Exceptional Long-term Survivors in Solid Tumors With Poor Prognosis

This is a retrospective, exploratory, multi-center, translational, 3 cohorts case control matched study conducted in patients harboring a solid tumor with poor prognosis who presented a long-term (case) and standard (standard) survival. Patients with: * Cohort A: metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma * Cohort B: glioblastoma IDHwt * Cohort C: extensive small cell lung cancer This research aims to integrate data generated from clinical records, imaging, multi-omics and bioinformatics approaches to discriminate case and control and then to identify new therapeutic targets. Analyses will be performed depending on the tumor samples available with at least 3 omics levels and according to scientific advances; genomic, epigenomic, proteomics, metabolomics, transcriptomic, microbiomic.

Para-aortic Lymph Node Metastasis in Resectable Pancreatic Cancer

Lymph node metastases are a strong prognostic predictor for pancreatic cancer. Para-aortic lymph nodes (PALN) are the final nodes for periampullary cancers before the cancer cells enter the systemic lymphatic circulation. Some consider these nodes to be regional lymph nodes and dissect them as a part of a routine lymphadenectomy for pancreatic cancer. Others argue that metastases to these nodes represent systemic disease and recommend that radical surgery including extended lymphadenectomy should be abandoned. The aim of this study is to define the incidence and clinical consequences of PALN metastasis in patients submitted to a tentative curative resection for carcinoma of the head of the pancreas by systematically resecting paraaortic lymph nodes. Primary outcome 1\) To determine incidence of PALN metastasis in patients submitted to a tentative curative resection Secondary outcomes 1. To determine prognosis of patients with PALN metastasis after a curative resection 2. To determine incidence of metastasis in reginal lymph nodes in patients submitted to a tentative curative resection. 3. To determine prognosis of patients with metastasis in regional lymph nodes in patients submitted to a tentative curative resection. 4. To address the question of how to optimize the frozen section analyses of PALN as related to the final pathology report. 300 patients are planned to be included in the trial.

Improving Pancreatic Cancer Care by the Use of Computational Science and Technology

The goal of the IMPACT project is to set up a data sharing infrastructure between expert centers for pancreatic surgery that enables training, testing and validation of computer science tools to improve quality of care for patients with pancreatic cancer.

Safety of Cyberknife in Patients With Borderline Resectable or Locally Advanced Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma

The hypothesize that SBRT will limit or reverse tumor growth and thereby convert the borderline resectable disease or locally advanced disease in to a resectable tumor. Furthermore, we want to assess whether SBRT leads to an improved quality of life compared to IMRT.

Survival, Quality of Life and Resectability in Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

This study aims to assess overall survival, quality of life and resection rates in locally advanced pancreatic cancer

PACAREG: a Multicenter Registry Trial in Pancreatic Ductal Adencarcinoma

PaCaReg is a multicenter registry trial aiming in the assessement of clinical, epidemiological and biological profiles in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma