Combining a targeted tumor‑ablation technique with immunotherapy for pancreatic cancer
Official title: Development of irreversible electroporation-based rational combinations to potentiate the activity of cancer immunotherapy against pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
Funded at University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr · NIH-11263681 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Seeing if pairing irreversible electroporation (a focused tumor‑destroying procedure) with immune‑boosting drugs can help people with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma respond better to treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2022 |
| Project end | January 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $576,605 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA258540-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11263681 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, particularly those with locally advanced or metastatic disease who might be candidates for irreversible electroporation and immunotherapy, would be the most relevant group.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with other types of cancer, or those who are not eligible for IRE or immune checkpoint therapy, are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
What this research studies
This work explores combining irreversible electroporation (IRE) — a focused electrical treatment already used in clinics to destroy tumor tissue — with immune checkpoint drugs to make pancreatic tumors more responsive to the immune system. Researchers are studying how IRE changes tumor metabolism and the immune environment, including increases in suppressive myeloid cells and shifts toward glutamine use, to design drug combinations that overcome those resistance mechanisms. The team uses laboratory models, advanced single‑cell and protein profiling, and existing clinical IRE experience to identify promising combination approaches. The ultimate aim is to move the best combinations toward testing in patients with pancreatic cancer.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could make immunotherapy work for more people with pancreatic cancer and potentially improve survival.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical mouse studies reported that combining IRE with anti‑PD‑1 improved long‑term survival in about 40% of animals, but this combined approach remains experimental in humans.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Li, Chun — University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
- Study coordinator: Li, Chun
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
In vivo B7-H3 CAR-T cells for pancreatic cancer therapy
A patient-friendly look at a new approach that aims to produce CAR-T cells directly inside the body to target pancreatic cancer.
-
Novel combo therapy using oncolytic adenovirus and immune drugs for pancreatic cancer
Aims to combine an oncolytic virus with immune therapies to help shrink pancreatic tumors before surgery and keep them from coming back.
-
Understanding how immunotherapy works in pancreatic cancer
This study is looking at why some people with pancreatic cancer benefit from immunotherapy while others don’t, and it aims to find better treatment combinations that can help boost the immune system's fight against this tough cancer.
-
Using electrical pulses to enhance cancer immunotherapy for pancreatic cancer
This study is looking at how using electrical pulses to destroy pancreatic cancer cells, along with immune therapy, might help make the cancer more responsive to treatment and improve survival for patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
-
Fibrin-rich tumor stroma as a new driver of immune response in pancreatic cancer
This grant explores how fibrin-involved tumor surroundings in pancreatic cancer might affect immune therapy, with the goal of making treatments work better for patients.
-
TREM2+ macrophages and liver metastases in pancreatic cancer
Researchers are studying immune cells in liver metastases from pancreatic cancer to understand how they influence the cancer’s spread and more effective treatments.
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.