A targeted therapy plan using endoscopic heat treatment plus chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer
Official title: A single-arm phase II study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of combination systematic chemotherapy and multiple rounds of endoscopic ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation in pancreatic cancer
Funded at University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston · NIH-11377616 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A patient-focused plan tests using a special endoscopic heat treatment together with chemotherapy to treat pancreatic cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $651,173 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA277161-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11377616 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma who can undergo repeated EUS-guided ablation in combination with chemotherapy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose cancer progresses rapidly or cannot tolerate chemotherapy may not benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
This grant supports a phase II, single-arm study where patients with pancreatic cancer receive repeated endoscopic ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation along with standard chemotherapy to try to improve outcomes. The goal is to see whether this combination can be safely tolerated and more effective than chemotherapy alone by altering the tumor environment and boosting immune response. The study builds on prior work showing that this heat treatment can be delivered safely and repeatedly in a minimally invasive way. If successful, it could provide a new local and systemic treatment option for people with this challenging cancer.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients may experience better tumor control and survival with a less invasive approach.
How similar studies have gone: Early clinical work indicates that repeated EUS-RFA is feasible and safe when combined with chemotherapy, with signals of potential benefit in PDAC.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Thosani, Nirav — University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston
- Study coordinator: Thosani, Nirav
Related research
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This research is testing a new way to treat pancreatic cancer by combining standard chemotherapy with a targeted heat treatment called radiofrequency ablation.
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Combining chemotherapy with a new treatment method for pancreatic cancer
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.