PORTICOtrans
Research type
Research Study
Full title
PORTICOtrans: A feasibility study to evaluate the immune-milieu in patients undergoing Whipple’s resection, comparing the utility of trans-duodenal biopsy, frozen and FFPE resection specimens
IRAS ID
256570
Contact name
Thankamma Ajithkumar
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Cambridge
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an unmet clinical need with a 5-year survival of <10%. It is a lethal disease that typically presents late, metastasises early and is resistant to conventional treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy. Typically, 50-70% patients present with localised disease, which is operable in 15-20%. In addition, despite apparently successful resection, ~75% of patients with relapse with localised and/or systemic disease.Therefore, innovative strategies are needed to improve local and systemic disease control in patients with apparently operable disease and to improve operability in locally advanced disease.
Pancreatic cancer does not respond well to immune therapies that work in other cancers. This study is being carried out to improve our understanding of pancreatic cancer by identifying which components of the immune system are present in pancreatic tumours and in the surrounding supporting tissues. This is termed the ‘tumour immune milieu’.
Before Whipple’s resection, the pancreas is deprived of its blood supply (‘devascularised’) which is likely to change the tumour immune milieu. Therefore, in this study we will be assessing whether we can take samples from the tumour at the time of surgery but before the tumour is deprived of its blood supply. We will compare these samples to surplus tumour tissue samples remaining after the Whipple’s resection. The purpose of the study is to find out which of these methods of sampling the tumour gives us the most useful information about the tumour immune milieu. This will provide essential information which we will use to develop and study new approaches to immune therapies for the treatment for pancreatic cancer.
We plan to recruit 10 evaluable participants into this study at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge. Tissue and blood samples will be collected from consented and eligible participants with primary PDAC undergoing Whipple’s resection with curative intent.
REC name
London - West London & GTAC Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/LO/0440
Date of REC Opinion
8 Mar 2019
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion