Improving response prediction to pre-surgery therapy in pancreatic cancer
Official title: Improving response prediction to neoadjuvant therapy in pancreatic cancer
Funded at Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-11377720 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A doctor-led program will study molecular clues from pancreatic cancer patients to better predict who will respond to chemotherapy before surgery.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $288,565 |
| NIH project number | 5K08CA286749-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11377720 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with localized pancreatic cancer who are candidates for neoadjuvant chemotherapy and subsequent surgical resection.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose tumors do not show measurable molecular predictors of response or who are not undergoing neoadjuvant therapy may see limited benefit.
What this research studies
This grant focuses on people with localized pancreatic cancer who are treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy before surgery. Researchers will analyze tumor samples and molecular patterns from an institutional cohort to find predictors of how well the cancer will respond to treatment. The goal is to improve real-time understanding of treatment effectiveness and guide decisions about proceeding to surgery or adjusting therapy. The work builds on known pancreatic cancer subtypes and tumor heterogeneity to identify molecular signals associated with response or resistance.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could receive more personalized pre-surgery therapy plans and better-informed surgical decisions.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows that transcriptional subtypes and single-cell heterogeneity may relate to chemotherapy response in pancreatic cancer, but predictive markers are not yet definitive.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Singh, Harshabad — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Singh, Harshabad
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding Pancreatic Cancer's Response to Pre-Surgery Treatment
This project aims to find better ways to tell if chemotherapy given before surgery is working for people with localized pancreatic cancer.
-
Predicting how pancreatic cancer responds to treatment before surgery
This study is looking to find out how different types of pancreatic tumors react to chemotherapy given before surgery, so we can better personalize treatment for patients and improve their outcomes.
-
Microbial Dysbiosis and Its Role in Pancreatic Cancer
A doctor-researcher team at Northwestern University is studying how gut bacteria influence pancreatic cancer and its response to immunotherapy to find new ways to help patients.
-
Targeting aberrant enhancer landscapes in pancreatic cancer
A patient-facing look at a project that aims to understand how pancreatic cancer changes its cell identity and what that means for treatment.
-
Exosome-based microRNA biomarkers for early, non-invasive detection of pancreatic cancer
A study to develop a blood test that uses tiny RNA signals in exosomes to detect pancreatic cancer early, aiming to help people at risk or with early disease.
-
Exosome-based microRNA biomarkers for early detection of pancreatic cancer
A patient-friendly look at a study using tiny blood-based RNA markers inside exosomes to catch pancreatic cancer early without invasive procedures.
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.