Adjuvant Chemoradiotherapy and Interferon Alfa in Treating Patients With Resected Pancreatic Cancer

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as fluorouracil and cisplatin, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Interferon alfa may interfere with the growth of tumor cells. Radiation therapy uses high-energy radiation from x-rays and other sources to kill tumor cells. Combining chemotherapy with interferon alfa and giving them with radiation therapy after surgery may kill any remaining tumor cells.

PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of adjuvant chemoradiotherapy and interferon alfa in treating patients who have resected stage I, stage II, or stage III pancreatic cancer.

Visceral Lymphatic Mapping Using Isosulfan Blue in Patients With Cancer of the Pancreas, Colon, Stomach, Small Intestine, or Gallbladder

RATIONALE: Diagnostic procedures, such as visceral lymphatic mapping using isosulfan blue, may help find cancer of the pancreas, colon, stomach, small intestine, or gallbladder and find out how far the disease has spread.

PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying the side effects and how well visceral lymphatic mapping using isosulfan blue works in patients with cancer of the pancreas, colon, stomach, small intestine, or gallbladder.

Vaccine Therapy and Sargramostim in Treating Patients With Pancreas Cancer That Cannot Be Removed By Surgery

This phase I trial studies the side effects and best dose of vaccine therapy when given together with sargramostim in treating patients with locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer that cannot be removed by surgery. Vaccines made from a gene-modified virus may help the body build an effective immune response to kill tumor cells. Colony-stimulating factors, such as sargramostim, may increase the number of immune cells found in bone marrow or peripheral blood. Giving vaccine therapy directly into the tumor together with sargramostim may cause a stronger immune response and kill more tumor cells.

Combination Study of Capecitabine and Erlotinib Concurrent With Radiotherapy for Non-Operable Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

The primary purpose of this study is to determine the best dosage of Capecitabine and Tarceva combination in the setting of radiation and to assess treatment effectiveness, progression-free survival and overall survival.

Perfusion Assessment With Contrast-Enhanced EUS in Locally Advanced and Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer

Patients with non-resectable pancreatic cancer have a poor prognosis.The analysis of prognostic factors before treatment may be helpful in selecting appropriate candidates for chemotherapy and determining treatment strategies.

The aim of the PEACE study is to assess the vascularity of pancreatic malignant tumors using contrast-enhanced endoscopic ultrasonography and to clarify the prognostic value of tumor vascularity in patients with locally advanced and metastatic pancreatic cancer.

Neoadjuvant Accelerated Short Course Radiation Therapy With Photons and Capecitabine for Resectable Pancreatic Cancer

The purpose of this research study is to determine if it is possible to deliver high dose radiation in one week while also giving the drug capecitabine for the treatment of pancreatic cancer prior to surgery, to determine if this treatment can be given safely for the treatment of pancreatic cancer prior to surgery and, to determine if this treatment can improve the local control pancreatic cancer prior to surgery compared to historical controls of standard treatment.

Cetuximab, Gemcitabine, and Oxaliplatin Followed By Surgery or External-Beam Radiation Therapy and Capecitabine in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced, Nonmetastatic Pancreatic Cancer That Cannot Be Removed By Surgery

RATIONALE: Monoclonal antibodies, such as cetuximab, can block tumor growth in different ways. Some block the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Others find tumor cells and help kill them or carry tumor-killing substances to them. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as gemcitabine, oxaliplatin, and capecitabine, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Sometimes when chemotherapy is given, it does not stop the growth of tumor cells. The tumor is said to be resistant to chemotherapy. Giving cetuximab together with chemotherapy may reduce drug resistance and allow the tumor cells to be killed. Giving cetuximab and chemotherapy before surgery may make the tumor smaller and reduce the amount of normal tissue that needs to be removed. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells.

PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving cetuximab together with oxaliplatin and gemcitabine followed by surgery or external-beam radiation therapy and capecitabine works in treating patients with locally advanced, nonmetastatic pancreatic cancer that cannot be removed by surgery.

Nordic Pancreatic Cancer Trial (NorPACT) – 1

This study evaluate the additional effect of adding chemotherapy prior to resection of a pancreatic head malignancy. The patients will be randomized into two groups; surgery first (control group) and neoadjuvant chemotherapy (intervention). Primary endpoint is overall survival after resection

Olaparib in PALB2 Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

This is a Phase II, non-randomized, multicenter, unblinded open-label study of Olaparib in monotherapy in participants with advanced (locally advanced/metastatic) PALB2-related pancreatic cancer that have progressed after at least one treatment for advanced disease.

Acupuncture for Pain Control in Patients With Inoperable Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is the sixth most common cause of cancer death in Hong Kong. Patients suffering from pancreatic cancer are associated with a poor prognosis and survival of less than one year is expected in inoperable tumours (1). Management of these patients would be towards palliation of symptoms. Severe pain occurs in 50 to 70% of the patients and this &#x0022intractable&#x0022 pain is often difficult to treat (2). Pain management is a major part of the comprehensive therapy in patients with pancreatic cancer, and it also affects their quality of life. Electroacupuncture seems to be a promising way to control the cancer pain and reduce the dose and side effects of pain killers including opioid. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture in reducing pancreatic cancer pain in patients suffering from inoperable pancreatic cancer.