ESPAC5 Long Term Outcomes V1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Long term overall and disease-free survival in participants of the ESPAC5 trial
IRAS ID
337133
Contact name
Paula Ghaneh
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Liverpool
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Pancreatic cancer generally has very poor survival rates, with surgery and post-operative chemotherapy being the only potential cure. However, only about 6% of patients can undergo this surgery, and around 15% have more advanced cancer that is still localized to the pancreas. These localized but advanced tumours are difficult to remove surgically because they are close to major blood vessels. Such tumours are called borderline resectable. Research suggests that giving chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy before surgery might improve survival for these patients.
The ESPAC5 trial was a randomized clinical study with four groups. It compared immediate surgery to pre-operative treatments, including two modern chemotherapy options (GemCap and FOLFIRINOX) and one chemoradiotherapy option. The study followed patients for one year, focusing on survival, disease recurrence, and safety. Out of 90 participants, 58 were still alive after one year. The results showed that pre-surgical treatment increased the number of patients alive at the end of the study compared to those who had surgery immediately. However, the one-year follow-up was too short to determine which treatment was best in the long term. Other studies have shown that conclusions about the effectiveness of pre-surgical treatment can only be drawn after five years.
We now aim to update the ESPAC5 trial outcomes with five-year follow-up data. This will allow us to determine the long-term effects of these treatments on survival and the recurrence of tumors.
The ESPAC5 Long Term Outcome Study will use data already recorded in patient records. No new treatments will be given, and no direct contact will be made with participants, except to request consent to access specific information from those still alive. This valuable data will help us determine if pre-surgical therapies are more effective than immediate surgery for certain pancreatic cancer patients, potentially improving future clinical practices.
REC name
South Central - Berkshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/SC/0037
Date of REC Opinion
21 Feb 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion