Innovative therapies for liver metastases in cancer patients

Advanced Immune Gene and Cell Therapies for Liver Metastases

Observational IRCCS San Raffaele · NCT04622423

This study is testing new ways to understand and treat liver tumors in patients with advanced colorectal and pancreatic cancer to see if it can lead to better therapies.

Quick facts

Study typeObservational
Enrollment625 (estimated)
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorIRCCS San Raffaele Academic / other
Drugs / interventionschemotherapy, CAR T, immunotherapy
Locations1 site (Milan, Milan)
Trial IDNCT04622423 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This observational study focuses on patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) who have liver metastases, which are a leading cause of cancer-related death. The study aims to enroll distinct cohorts of patients and utilize advanced -omics technologies to characterize the immune and non-immune microenvironment of their tumors and liver metastases. By analyzing changes in the activation status of peripheral blood leukocytes, the researchers hope to identify potential therapeutic targets and improve treatment strategies for these patients. Healthy volunteers will also be included as negative controls to provide comparative data.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates include adults aged 18 and older with histologically confirmed metastatic colorectal cancer to the liver who are eligible for surgical resection or chemotherapy.

Not a fit: Patients with severe comorbidities, extrahepatic disease (unless specific criteria are met), or those unable to provide informed consent may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this study could lead to more effective therapies for patients with liver metastases from CRC and PDAC, potentially improving survival rates.

How similar studies have performed: While there have been studies exploring immunotherapy in liver metastases, this approach combining advanced -omics characterization with innovative therapies is relatively novel.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion and exclusion criteria - CRC patients

Inclusion criteria:

1. Patients with histologically or cytologically confirmed diagnosis of CRC metastatic to the liver (stage IV disease, AJCC)
2. Patients with indication to surgical resection and/or chemotherapy treatment
3. Age ≥18
4. ECOG PS 0-1 at enrollment
5. Written informed consent
6. Patients will be treated in IRCCS San Raffaele

Exclusion criteria:

1. Pregnancy or lactation
2. Inability to provide a written informed consent
3. Extraepatic disease with the exception of selected cases in which the coexistence of extrahepatic disease does not constitute an exclusion criterion for hepatic resective surgery (for example in patients with extraepatic lesions in remission or in any case stabilized by chemotherapy)
4. Severe comorbidities (e.g. cardiac diseases, history of psychiatric disabilities, HIV, autoimmune disorders)
5. Concurrent or previous other malignancy within 5 years of study entry, except cured basal or squamous cell skin cancer, superficial bladder cancer, prostate intraepithelial neoplasm, carcinoma in-situ of the cervix, or other noninvasive or indolent malignancy
6. Other conditions (medical or psychiatric) that in the judgment of Investigators would make the patient an inappropriate candidate for the study

Inclusion and exclusion criteria - PDAC patients

Inclusion criteria:

1. Patients with clinical/radiological diagnosis/suspicious of pancreatic adenocarcinoma metastatic to the liver, with subsequent cytological/histological confirmation (stage IV disease, AJCC)
2. Age ≥18
3. Karnofsky performance status ≥50
4. Metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma patients with histological specimens from whole liver metastasis biopsy or core liver biopsy collected at IRCCS San Raffaele and stored in the institutional biobank Centro Risorse Biologiche (CRB-OSR)
5. Written Informed consent
6. Patients with clinical/radiological diagnosis of not metastatic primary PDAC that will undergo pancreatic resection at IRCCS San Raffaele

Exclusion criteria:

1. Severe comorbidities (e.g., cardiac diseases, history of psychiatric disabilities) representing an absolute contraindication for whole or core liver metastasis biopsy
2. Pregnancy or lactation
3. Inability to provide a written informed consent
4. Metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma patients enrolled in other research trials entailing the analysis of the liver metastasis histological sample

Where this trial is running

Milan, Milan

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.
Conditions Pancreatic Ductal AdenocarcinomaColorectal CancerLiver MetastasisIPMN, PancreaticPancreatic ductal adenocarcinomaColorectal cancerPDACCRC
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 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.