USC Trial Tests Surgery for Inoperable Pancreatic Cancer
Author: University of Southern California - Health Sciences
Published: 15 Mar 2024 - Updated: 4 Nov 2026
Publication Type: Clinical Trial
Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Definition - Overview - FAQs - Insights, Updates - Related Content
Synopsis
This information describes a clinical trial at Keck Medicine of USC testing whether chemotherapy followed by a complex operation can safely remove locally advanced pancreatic tumors, cancers that have not spread to other organs but have grown into or around nearby blood vessels. Such tumors are usually considered inoperable, and patients typically receive only chemotherapy or radiation, with life expectancy of about a year. The surgery removes the tumor along with the affected arteries, which are then reconstructed. The trial plans to enroll 20 patients and follow them for three years, and it is of interest to people with pancreatic cancer, their families and oncologists.*
At a Glance
- 1 - Locally advanced disease accounts for about one-third of all pancreatic cancer cases.
- 2 - Pancreatic cancer makes up about 3 percent of U.S. cancers but is one of the deadliest.
- 3 - Only 13 percent of pancreatic cancer patients survive five or more years after diagnosis.
- 4 - In rare past cases where such tumors were removed, average survival rose from one year to 28 months.
Topic Definition
- Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer
Locally advanced pancreatic cancer is cancer of the pancreas that has not spread to distant organs but has grown into or around nearby major blood vessels, such as the arteries that supply the stomach, liver and intestines. Because removing the tumor could damage these vessels, it has usually been considered inoperable and treated with chemotherapy, sometimes with radiation.
Overview
A clinical trial from Keck Medicine of USC aims to provide a surgical solution for patients with a form of advanced pancreatic cancer previously considered inoperable. The study will investigate if chemotherapy followed by a novel type of surgery to remove the cancer is a safe and effective option for patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer, meaning that the cancer has not spread to other organs, but has grown into or close to nearby blood vessels that surround the pancreas.
"Usually, these types of tumors cannot be safely removed with surgery because of the risk of damaging the blood vessels, which supply blood to the stomach, liver and other abdominal organs. However, due to recent advancements by Keck Medicine surgeons, we believe that patients with locally advanced cancer can be candidates for successful surgery, which could significantly improve outcomes," said Steven Grossman, MD, PhD, co-lead investigator of the study. Grossman is a medical oncologist with Keck Medicine and deputy director for cancer services at USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of Keck Medicine.
The Challenge of Treating Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer accounts for only about 3% of cancers in the United States, but it is one of the deadliest. People usually have no symptoms until the cancer has become very large or metastasized throughout the body, so the cancer is caught late, and patients have poor prognoses.
Only 13% of pancreatic cancer patients survive five or more years after diagnosis. The life expectancy of patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer, which accounts for one third of all pancreatic cancer cases, has historically been about one year.
For most forms of cancer, surgery is considered the most effective treatment for localized tumors that have not spread to other areas of the body. However, surgery has traditionally not been offered for tumors involving the blood vessels near the pancreas because if the blood vessels were to become damaged during the procedure, and the blood flow to organs interrupted, it could result in serious side effects or death.
Therefore, typically the only treatment option for patients with locally advanced cancer is chemotherapy and/or radiation, both of which have limited effectiveness killing pancreatic cancer cells.
"The situation is frustrating because research shows that in the rare cases where locally advanced tumors were safely removed, the progression of the disease was slowed and the patient's length of survival on average increased from one year to 28 months, more than doubling life expectancy," said Sandra Algaze, MD, a medical oncologist with Keck Medicine, a member of USC Norris and one of the study's investigators. "Surgery, therefore, appears to strongly benefit a patient's survival rate, which is why the medical field has been eager for a surgical solution."
How New Surgical Advances Can Benefit Patients
The clinical trial will use surgical protocols pioneered by Keck Medicine surgeons to safely remove locally advanced pancreatic tumors attached to arteries. The surgical team will be led by study co-lead investigator Yuri Genyk, MD, a hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgeon with Keck Medicine who is an expert in vascular reconstruction, which is the removal and reconstruction of blood vessels. Genyk has already successfully removed about 30 pancreatic tumors that were attached to adjacent arteries.
"While this surgery is very complex, we have the skills and expertise to execute it and train other skilled surgeons in the procedure. If the trial results are positive, we envision that the technique could become the gold standard for how this stage of pancreatic cancer is treated in the future," said Genyk.
Patients in the clinical trial will first undergo chemotherapy to attempt to shrink the tumor. Two to eight weeks after completing chemotherapy, they will undergo a laparoscopic evaluation to determine the position and size of the tumor before the tumor is surgically removed and involved blood vessels are removed and reconstructed.
Patients will be followed every three months for the first year post-surgery and then every six months for two years after that.
The clinical trial will also examine if certain biomarkers, such as the tumor's DNA, as well as a patient's demographic factors such as age and gender, play a role in patient outcomes.
The study hopes to enroll 20 patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer who have evidence of arterial involvement by their tumors. The surgeries will be performed at Keck Hospital of USC.
"Pancreatic cancer is a devastating diagnosis, and Keck Medicine is committed to finding better solutions for the disease," said Grossman. "Anything we can do to improve patients' quality of life and extend life expectancy will be a huge milestone that could benefit countless patients and their loved ones."
Participation
Those interested in participating in the study can contact: Charlean Ketchens, RN, at (323) 865-3035.
Frequently Asked Questions
NOTE: Researched FAQs by Disabled World (DW)
What are early symptoms of pancreatic cancer?
Early stages often cause no symptoms. Later signs can include yellowing of the skin or eyes, belly or back pain, weight loss, loss of appetite and new-onset diabetes.
What is vascular reconstruction surgery?
It is surgery that removes part of a blood vessel and rebuilds it, often with a graft, so blood flow to organs continues after a tumor is cut away.
Why is chemotherapy given before surgery?
Chemotherapy before surgery aims to shrink the tumor and treat any hidden spread, which can make removal possible and lower the chance of return.
Who can join a pancreatic cancer clinical trial?
Each trial has its own requirements based on cancer stage, past treatment and overall health. Patients can ask their oncologist or search trial registries.
What is a Whipple procedure?
It is the most common operation for tumors in the head of the pancreas, removing part of the pancreas, the first part of the small intestine, the gallbladder and the bile duct.
What is the difference between resectable and unresectable cancer?
Resectable cancer can be removed with surgery. Unresectable cancer cannot be safely removed, often because it involves major blood vessels or has spread.
How can patients find a high-volume pancreatic surgery center?
Large academic medical centers and NCI-designated cancer centers often perform many pancreatic surgeries, which is linked to better outcomes.
Is pancreatic cancer hereditary?
Most cases are not inherited, but about 10 percent are linked to family history or gene changes such as BRCA mutations, so genetic testing may be offered.
Insights, Analysis, and Developments
Editorial Note: Pancreatic cancer is often found late, and when a tumor wraps around major blood vessels, surgery has usually been ruled out, leaving treatments that rarely control the disease for long. This trial tests whether advances in vascular surgery can safely change that for carefully selected patients. It is small and still in progress, so results are not yet known and the operation carries real risks. Patients and families facing this diagnosis may want to ask whether they are seen at a high-volume pancreatic center and whether clinical trials, including surgical ones, are an option.*
Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally issued as a press release by University of Southern California - Health Sciences and published on 15 Mar 2024. Last updated on 4 Nov 2026. This content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.
* Editorial additions by Ian C. Langtree.