Total Neoadjuvant Therapy for Borderline or Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer
Official title: Total Neoadjuvant Therapy (TNT) for Borderline Resectable and Locally Advanced Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma
Funded at Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research · NIH-11397470 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A multi-part treatment approach tests giving all chemotherapy and targeted radiotherapy before surgery to help patients with tough-to-remove pancreatic cancer become eligible for curative surgery.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $623,148 |
| NIH project number | 5P50CA257881-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11397470 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with borderline resectable or locally advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma eligible for neoadjuvant therapy and subsequent surgery.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with tumors unlikely to respond to neoadjuvant therapy or who are not surgical candidates may receive little to no benefit.
What this research studies
This project tests a pre-surgery treatment plan (total neoadjuvant therapy) for patients with borderline resectable or locally advanced pancreatic cancer. It uses an upfront, intensified chemotherapy regimen followed by ablative-dose radiotherapy to shrink tumors and address hidden cancer spread. The goal is to downstage tumors to enable surgery and to identify who will benefit most from this approach through structured, prospective evaluation. There are currently no reliable biomarkers to predict response, so the study also seeks to uncover indicators that guide future personalized treatment. Participation would involve a coordinated treatment plan at the Sloan Kettering Institute with close monitoring and follow-up through the trial period.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could increase the number of patients who can undergo potentially curative surgery and tailor treatments to those most likely to benefit.
How similar studies have gone: Early data support neoadjuvant strategies in this setting, but a structured, prospective approach with biomarkers is needed to confirm benefit.
Where this research is happening
-
Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wei, Alice Chia- Chi — Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research
- Study coordinator: Wei, Alice Chia- Chi
Related research
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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.