Blood test may reveal if chemo is working for pancreatic cancer patients
NCT ID NCT04616131
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This study is testing whether a blood test that looks for tumor DNA (ctDNA) can help predict how well pancreatic cancer patients respond to chemotherapy. Researchers will track ctDNA levels before, during, and after treatment in 500 patients whose cancer has not spread. The goal is to see if the test can give doctors an early sign of whether the treatment is working.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could lead to a simple blood test that helps doctors know sooner whether chemotherapy is working for pancreatic cancer patients.
- What could go wrong
- This is an observational study, not a treatment trial. It will not directly improve outcomes, and the blood test may not prove reliable enough for routine use.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Participants
-
About 500 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
-
Oct 2020
- Expected to finish
-
Oct 2029
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
Who is studied
Male or female individuals age 18 and over planning to receive chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer that has not spread outside of the pancreas and nearby lymph nodes.
- Ages
-
18 years and older
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Biopsy or cytology proven adenocarcinoma of the pancreas * No clinical evidence of metastatic disease on imaging * Age 18 or older * Receiving chemotherapy for non-metastatic pancreatic cancer Exclusion Criteria: * Biopsy proven metastatic disease
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Pancreas cancer are added.
Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
-
The study's own enquiry address
This study publishes an address for enquiries. See it below .
-
The places running it
3 sites. The list below names each one and where it is.
-
The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
-
A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Show contact details
Enter your email to view the contact information for this study.
Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
Study contacts
-
Contact
Email: •••••@•••••
Locations
-
Northwestern Medicine Cancer Center Delnor
RECRUITINGGeneva, Illinois, 60135, United States
-
Northwestern Medicine Cancer Center Kishwaukee
RECRUITINGDeKalb, Illinois, 60115, United States
-
Northwestern Medicine Cancer Center Warrenville
RECRUITINGWarrenville, Illinois, 60555, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Gut bacteria may hold clues to why some cancer treatments work better
- New chemo cocktail targets pancreatic cancer at every stage
- New antibody aims to preserve immune checkpoint while fighting cancer
- Blood test aims to catch Cancer's return earlier
- Blood test guides immunotherapy for hidden cancer cells
- Can acupuncture soothe Chemotherapy's lingering nerve pain?