Precision-Panc
Research type
Research Study
Full title
PRECISION-Panc: Advancing personalised medicine treatment strategies for pancreatic cancer.
IRAS ID
184216
Contact name
David Chang
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
ISRCTN Number
14879538
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Of the ~9,000 people who will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the UK this year, only around 270 people are expected to survive for more than five years. Due to the nature of the disease, patients are generally not diagnosed until it has reached an advanced stage by which point current therapeutic options are limited and usually ineffectual. The range of treatments and overall survival time for this type of cancer has not changed in over 40 years. The prospects of pancreatic cancer diagnosis is bleak, especially from a patient’s perspective. Therefore, the general approach to pancreatic disease must change if patients are to be given the absolute best chances of survival.
Research into pancreatic cancer is complicated by a number of factors including difficulties in obtaining high quality biopsy material from the tumour, and the limited availability of model systems that can appropriately mimic the diversity and complexity of the disease. Importantly, where significant biopsies are performed for most cancer types the amount of tumour taken for examination has often increased. However, in the case of pancreatic cancer, the size and frequency at which biopsies are offered have reduced, that are most likely due to the significant pessimism associated with a presumptive diagnosis.
Understanding the events underlying the development of cancer is key for any researcher who wants to advance the scientific/clinical community's capabilities in terms of prevention, early detection & effective treatment of cancer. We want to understand whether using tumour derived tissue from patients in genome wide sequencing experiments can allow us to identify changes present within the DNA of the tumour. These changes might be possible targets for drugs or treatments that cannot be found without such tests. We will then identify which therapeutic regimen or clinical trials could be most suitable for patients on an individual basis.
REC name
West of Scotland REC 1
REC reference
17/WS/0147
Date of REC Opinion
27 Sep 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion