Effect on Tumor Perfusion of a Chemotherapy Combining Gemcitabine and Vismodegib Before Surgery in Pancreatic Cancer — NEOPACHI-001  

Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Resectable Clinical Trial

Official title: Evaluation of Tumoral Perfusion Modification by Dynamic Imaging After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Combining Gemcitabine and a Hedgehog Inhibitor (Vismodegib) in Patients With Resectable Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma

Status Not yet recruiting

Clinical Trial Summary

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has one of the worst prognoses of all human cancers and is considered as a sanctuary, resistant to most of the drugs used. Identification of new molecular targets involved in its pathogenesis is urgently needed and required both proper and innovative efficacy assessment.

This proof-of-concept trial is studying the "dynamic" tumor response after the administration of a short course (4 weeks) neoadjuvant combination of gemcitabine and a Hedgehog inhibitor (Vismodegib) before surgery in patients with operable pancreatic cancer.

Clinical Trial Description

Pancreatic cancer is characterized by a high stromal density and is a hypoperfused tumor, precluding cytotoxics delivery to the epithelial tumoral compartment. There is thus a rationale for combining chemotherapy and antistromal drugs like Hedgehog inhibitors. Targeting the resectable primary tumor offers an appropriate setting to (1) evaluate and monitor early treatment effects on the tumor, (2) correlate dynamic imaging changes (perfusion and diffusion coefficient) to pre- and post-therapeutic tissue changes, (3) identify specific predictive biomarkers for the drugs used (i.e. gemcitabine transporters and Hedgehog pathway genes and proteins) and (4) assess if this early "dynamic and biomolecular response" can predict treatment benefit and patient outcome. ;

Study Design

Endpoint Classification: Safety/Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Adenocarcinoma
• Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Resectable
• Pancreatic Neoplasms

• NCT number: NCT01713218
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Erasme University Hospital
• Contact: Jean-Luc Van Laethem, MD, PhD
• Email: jl.vanlaethem@erasme.ulb.ac.be
• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Phase: Phase 0
• Start date: December 2012
• Completion date: December 2016