New hope for pancreatic cancer patients

Manchester's Christie hospital is launching a groundbreaking new trial, funded by Cancer Research UK, to treat people with pancreatic cancer.

It's one of the deadliest forms of the disease - only three per cent of patients survive for more than five years.

Experts say each patient will undergo a tumour biopsy that will be used to help reveal the biological characteristics of the patients’ tumours. Samples will be studied by scientists at The University of Manchester as well as at the Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre laboratories in Glasgow, and the results may then be used to help match patients to the most appropriate currently available clinical trial, testing treatments that are likely to work for that patient’s cancer.

Professor Juan Valle, one of the lead researchers based at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust and professor in Medical Oncology at The University of Manchester, said:

“This is an extraordinary opportunity to transform the therapeutic options and treatment pathway for pancreatic cancer patients. It is one of the first projects in the UK to bring genetic sequencing into the clinic in order to direct the care of pancreatic cancer patients.

“The overall aim of Precision-Panc is to make precision medicine a reality for more people with pancreatic cancer through building up knowledge that will ultimately allow clinicians to match patients with the most suitable treatment or clinical trial for them.

“The project aims to facilitate drug development, and ultimately new drug approval, allowing access and improving survival in patients with pancreatic cancer."