Pancreas Cancer Clinical Trials

Patients with digestive tract malignancy often experience severe and unremitting abdominal pain that negatively affects physical, emotional, and social function, as well as health related quality of life (HRQOL). Therapeutic virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a promising and evidence-based treatment modality for cancer pain. Users of VR wear a pair of goggles with a close-proximity screen in front of the eyes that creates a sensation of being transported into lifelike, three-dimensional worlds. To date, VR has been limited to short-term clinical trials for cancer pain. Moreover, limited research exists on theory-based VR modalities beyond mere distraction, such as VR that employs acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) with components of biofeedback and mindfulness. To bridge these gaps, this study seeks to: (1) assess the impact of immersive VR on patient-reported outcomes (PROs), including pain, activity metrics, and opioid use among patients with visceral pain from a digestive tract malignancy; (2) assess differences in PROs, activity metrics, and opioid use between skills-based VR therapy vs. distraction VR therapy; and (3) determine patient-level predictors of VR treatment response in visceral cancer pain. To address these aims, the study will measure PROs and opioid use in 360 patients randomized among 3 groups and follow them for 60 days after enrollment: (1) an enhanced VR group receiving skills-based VR; (2) a distraction-based VR group receiving patient-selected VR videos; and (3) a VR sham control group using a VR headset with 2-D content. The results will inform best practices for the implementation of VR for visceral cancer pain management and guide selection of patient-tailored experiences. Read Less

The goal of this study is to investigate the efficacy of [68Ga]CBP8 to detect collagen deposition in radiation induced tissue injury. Read Less

Researchers want to discover if the new drug "TG01" will work with participants' bodies to help their immune system attack any cancer cells that might still be in the blood stream after surgery for pancreatic cancer. The researchers will also investigate whether or not "TG01" combined with the other study drug, "Balstilimab", will show even greater efficacy. TG01 and Balstilimab are both experimental treatments and are not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as treatment in the United States, or elsewhere, for pancreatic cancer or any other type of cancer. Balstilimab has been studied in other cancers and has shown signs of efficacy. Another drug will be used in this study called "QS-21". It is not intended to treat any disease but is used in this study to improve the action of the study drug TG01. QS-21 has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be mixed with a vaccine used to prevent shingles. It has not been approved to be mixed with the study drug, TG01. Participants will undergo eligibility screening, weekly visits during treatment when receiving the study drug or study drug combination, two safety follow-up visits, at about 30 and 90 days after the last dose of study treatment, and long term follow up for about 12 months after the last dose of study treatment. Read Less

The primary objective of this study is to assess the impact of bethanechol therapy on tumor activity by looking at biomarkers of proliferation, inflammation, and stem cell markers in post-treatment specimens compared to pre-treatment specimens and compared to other patients who were not treated with bethanechol prior to surgery. The investigators hypothesize that treatment with bethanechol will alter nerve conduction within tumors by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system and reduce tumor proliferation, reduce macrophage activation, reduce tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha, and decrease human cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44) protein cancer stem cells. The safety objective is to assess the safety and tolerability of short course bethanechol prior to surgery and the impact of this treatment on immediate surgical outcomes. The investigators will assess all treatment-related toxicities with an emphasis on GI side effects and evaluate the impact of therapy on surgical delays or immediate post-op complications. All subjects will be contacted 1 week after beginning therapy to assess toxicity including GI specific toxicity and followed for safety for 30 days following completion of study medication. The investigators hypothesize that treatment for a minimum of 1 week will be tolerable in this selected patient population and will not interfere with progression to surgery or lead to increased surgical complications. Read Less

This research study is studying an intervention as a possible treatment for pancreatic cancer. Read Less

This research is being done to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the drug NIS793 in combination with the standard of care treatment FOLFIRINOX (consists of the drugs 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), Oxaliplatin, Irinotecan, and Leucovorin), chemoradiation and surgery for people with metastatic pancreas adenocarcinoma. The drugs involved in this study are: NIS793 FOLFIRINOX (consists of the drugs 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), Oxaliplatin, Irinotecan, and Leucovorin) Other interventions include chemoradiation surgery. Read Less

GMG ArcData will create a mobile-based application to improve communications and data exchange among patients and navigators involved in new pancreas surgery oncology episodes of care. Functionality will align with care processes using smartphone and the EHR patient portal. GMG will apply user-centered design theory and behavioral psychology approaches to co-design, develop, and test usability of features that optimize patient navigators-patient encounters on scheduling issues, nutrition guidance, pain management, wellbeing assessments, and activity tracking. Evaluation endpoints will reflect how the application improves the efficiency of workflows and lessens cognitive burden. Study will assess how patients and navigators perceive the tool's ability to provide more control and easier access to information about surgical care. The key project innovations are based on Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR)-based engineering standards that enable interoperability among digital health platforms, apply 'recommender' functions based on similar patients' experiences, and exploit microeducation tools to enhance patient understanding about their surgical care. The research team has partnered with MedStar Health and Georgetown University Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center to co-design the software and access patients for usability testing. Successful implementation will lead to exploring a joint venture for scaling to other care episodes, expanded functionality, and co-creating business models for commercialization. Read Less

For patients who have been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer that has not spread outside of the pancreas and nearby lymph nodes. The purpose of this research study is to understand if we are able to detect pancreatic cancer DNA in the blood stream before, during, and after treatment. Read Less