Clinical Trials Results
Trial Name
Brief Summary
This phase III trial compares perioperative chemotherapy (given before and after surgery)
versus adjuvant chemotherapy (given after surgery) for the treatment of pancreatic cancer
that can be removed by surgery (removable/resectable). Chemotherapy drugs, such as
fluorouracil, irinotecan, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin, work in different ways to stop the
growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by
stopping them from spreading. Giving chemotherapy before and after surgery (perioperatively)
may work better in treating patients with pancreatic cancer compared to giving chemotherapy
after surgery (adjuvantly).
This phase II trial compares two treatment combinations: gemcitabine hydrochloride and
nab-paclitaxel, or fluorouracil, leucovorin calcium, and liposomal irinotecan in older
patients with pancreatic cancer that has spread to other places in the body (metastatic).
Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as gemcitabine hydrochloride, nab-paclitaxel, fluorouracil,
leucovorin calcium, and liposomal irinotecan, work in different ways to stop the growth of
tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them
from spreading. This study may help doctors find out which treatment combination is better at
prolonging life in older patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.
This phase II trial studies whether adding pembrolizumab to olaparib (standard of care) works
better than olaparib alone in treating patients with pancreatic cancer with germline BRCA1 or
BRCA2 mutations that has spread to other places in the body (metastatic). BRCA1 and BRCA2 are
human genes that produce tumor suppressor proteins. These proteins help repair damaged
deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and, therefore, play a role in ensuring the stability of each
cell's genetic material. When either of these genes is mutated, or altered, such that its
protein product is not made or does not function correctly, DNA damage may not be repaired
properly. As a result, cells are more likely to develop additional genetic alterations that
can lead to some types of cancer, including pancreatic cancer. Immunotherapy with monoclonal
antibodies, such as pembrolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and
may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Olaparib is an inhibitor of
PARP, a protein that helps repair damaged DNA. Blocking PARP may help keep tumor cells from
repairing their damaged DNA, causing them to die. PARP inhibitors are a type of targeted
therapy. The addition of pembrolizumab to the usual treatment of olaparib may help to shrink
tumors in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations.
Clinical Trial Categories:
- Bone Cancer
- Brain Cancer
- Breast Cancer
- Cancer Control
- Companion Studies
- Gastrointestinal Cancer
- Genitourinary Cancer
- Gynecology (GYN) Cancer
- Head and Neck Cancer
- Leukemia
- Lung Cancer
- Lymphoma (Hodgkin's Disease, Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma)
- Melanoma
- Multiple Myeloma
- Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)
- Other Cancer Protocols
- Pancreas Cancer
- Sarcoma
- Skin Cancer
- Symptom Management