Biomarker Directed Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Resected Pancreas Cancer

Official Title

Biomarker Directed Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Resected Pancreas Cancer

Summary:

Chemotherapy is given after curative surgery for pancreas cancer to try to improve cure rates. There are two choices of chemotherapy which are currently considered equal treatments: gemcitabine or 5-fluorouracil (5FU). This study is trying to determine if one of two standard chemotherapies is better than the other depending on whether patients have high or low human equilibrative nucleoside transporter 1 (hENT1). hENT1 is a protein that is found in varying amounts on pancreas cancers.

Trial Description

Primary Outcome:

• Overall Survival

The rationale for this pilot study is based on trying to better deliver adjuvant chemotherapy by selecting treatment for patients that is individualized based on the hENT1 biomarker. Gemcitabine (gem) requires human equilibrative nucleoside transporter 1 (hENT1) to enter cells. If a pancreatic cancer has low hENT1, gem will not be able to enter cells efficiently. 5-fluorouracil (5FU) does not require the same transport into cells. Thus, upfront hENT1 testing will allow determination of therapy.

View this trial on ClinicalTrials.gov