What the trial was testing
The trial enrolled 170 patients with pancreatic cancer. The study was sponsored by Changhai Hospital and tracked outcomes across the full group of patients who matched the trial's eligibility profile.
It was initial testing (phase 2). Trials at this stage are designed to produce evidence regulators and physicians can act on — not just observations to follow up later.
What the results showed
Patients lived a median of nearly 25 months with the combination treatment, compared to about 22 months with chemotherapy.
The Lancet. Oncology · 2021 · NCT02704156
These findings — that patients lived longer with the immunotherapy combination than with standard chemotherapy — were published in the The Lancet. Oncology and represent the headline result of the study.
Researchers tracked outcomes across 170 patients enrolled in the trial. The result was consistent enough across the group that the team felt confident reporting it.
What this means for patients
For patients with pancreatic cancer, this result changes the calculus on what to ask their care team about. Whether it changes day-to-day care depends on factors like disease subtype, prior treatments, and where the patient is in their care journey.
What you can do now
This was an initial testing study and the combination is not yet FDA-approved for recurrent pancreatic cancer. Pembrolizumab is FDA-approved for some cancers but not specifically this use. If your pancreatic cancer has returned after surgery, talk to your doctor about clinical trials testing immunotherapy combinations or other approved treatment options.
Eligibility for the treatments mentioned above depends on specific test results and clinical history. Bring this summary, the trial name, and your most recent labs or pathology report to your next visit.
Open pancreatic cancer trials
Exploring the Impact of a Multi-modal Nutritional Intervention in Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy for Pancreatic Cancer (FEED Trial)
The study will examine if a multi-modal nutritional care package, with or without resistance training delivered with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, is effective at preventing loss of muscle strength during neoadjuvant chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer. There are two arms in this study: Control Arm will receive standard dietetic care and be prescribed standard pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy and oral nutritional supplement drinks with their neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The intervention Arm will have 3 additional dietitian visits and 6 physiotherapist visits that the control group will not.
Multicentric Database for Solid Pseudopapillary Neoplasm of the Pancreas
To establish and maintain a reliable multicenter real-world database for pancreatic SPN, providing high-quality data and evidence-based support for clinical/translational research.