Developing a blood test for early detection of pancreatic cancer

A Proof of Concept Study of Pancreatic Cancer Early Detection by cfDNA Assay

Fudan University · NCT06166147

This study is testing a new blood test to see if it can help find pancreatic cancer early by looking for specific signals in the blood of people who have just been diagnosed.

Quick facts

Study typeObservational
Enrollment276 (estimated)
Ages40 Years to 75 Years
SexAll
SponsorFudan University (other)
Drugs / interventionsimmunotherapy
Locations3 sites (Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality and 2 other locations)
Trial IDNCT06166147 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This observational study aims to create a machine learning-based model for the early detection of pancreatic cancer using liquid biopsy samples. Participants with newly diagnosed pancreatic cancer will provide peripheral blood samples to analyze cancer-specific signals through sequencing of cell-free DNA. The study will evaluate the effectiveness of this noninvasive test in distinguishing cancer from non-cancer cases, including benign diseases and average-risk individuals, using a two-stage validation approach.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are individuals aged 40-75 who have been clinically or pathologically diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and have not received any prior antitumor therapy.

Not a fit: Patients with other malignancies, severe infections, or those who have recently received certain therapies may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this study could lead to earlier detection of pancreatic cancer, improving treatment outcomes and survival rates.

How similar studies have performed: While there have been studies exploring liquid biopsies for cancer detection, this specific approach using machine learning for pancreatic cancer is relatively novel.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Cancer Arm

Inclusion Criteria:

* 40-75 years old
* Clinically and/or pathologically diagnosed pancreatic cancer
* No prior or undergoing any systemic or local antitumor therapy, including but not limited to surgical resection, radiochemotherapy, endocrinotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, interventional therapy, etc.
* Able to provide a written informed consent and willing to comply with all part of the protocol procedures.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Pregnancy or lactating women
* Known prior or current diagnosis of other types of malignancies comorbidities
* Severe acute infection (e.g. severe or critical COVID-19, sepsis, etc.) or febrile illness (body temperature of ≥ 38.0 °C) within 14 days prior to blood draw
* Recipients of organ transplant or prior bone marrow transplant or stem cell transplant
* Recipients of blood transfusion within 30 days prior to study blood draw
* Recipients of therapy in past 14 days prior to blood draw, including oral or IV antibiotics, glucocorticoid, azacitidine, decitabine, procainamine, hydrazine, arsenic trioxide
* Other conditions that the investigators considered are not suitable for the enrollment

Benign Disease Arm

Inclusion Criteria:

* 40-75 years old
* Clinically and/or pathologically diagnosed pancreatic non-malignant disease (pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia, pancreatic cyst and chronic pancreatitis)
* No prior or undergoing any systemic or local antitumor therapy, including but not limited to surgical resection, radiochemotherapy, endocrinotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, interventional therapy, etc.
* Able to provide a written informed consent and willing to comply with all part of the protocol procedures

Exclusion Criteria:

* Pregnancy or lactating women
* Known prior or current diagnosis of other types of malignancies comorbidities
* Severe acute infection (e.g. severe or critical COVID-19, sepsis, etc.) or febrile illness (body temperature of ≥ 38.0 °C) within 14 days prior to blood draw
* Recipients of organ transplant or prior bone marrow transplant or stem cell transplant
* Recipients of blood transfusion within 30 days prior to study blood draw
* Recipients of therapy in past 14 days prior to blood draw, including oral or IV antibiotics, glucocorticoid, azacitidine, decitabine, procainamine, hydrazine, arsenic trioxide
* Other conditions that the investigators considered are not suitable for the enrollment

Where this trial is running

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality and 2 other locations

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.

View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Conditions: Pancreatic Cancer

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.