Pancreatic Cancer

MOON SHOTS PROGRAM

Pancreatic Cancer Moon Shot

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Pancreatic Cancer Moon Shot
- Pancreatic Cancer Research Projects

How we're ending Pancreatic Cancer

Our intentions are noble – put today’s patients at the forefront of our investigation to make their cure today’s reality. Our process is groundbreaking – use in-house, industry-quality platforms to ensure that our breakthrough discoveries aren’t left sitting in our academic research laboratories.

By combining Innovation, Collaboration and Scale, the Pancreatic Cancer Moon Shot™ is revolutionizing the conventional medical research approach to rapidly adapt pre-clinical findings into pancreatic cancer treatment options.

Pancreatic Cancer Moon Shot Research and Treatment Efforts

PANCREATIC CANCER

A rare but aggressive cancer

The pancreas is a vital organ that makes insulin and other hormones, which aid in a number of processes important for good health. While it accounts for only 2% of cancers diagnosed in the United States each year, pancreatic cancer is the 3rd most common cause of cancer-related deaths in the country. It often does not cause symptoms in the early stages, making it challenging to detect and diagnose.

About pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic Cancer Moon Shot Leaders

Matthew H.G. Katz, M.D.

Associate Professor, Surgical Oncology
Anirban Maitra, M.B.B.S.

Professor, Pathology
Robert A. Wolff, M.D.

Professor, Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology

Innovation

Early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer is a daunting challenge, but we’re taking a bold and unbiased approach to develop a blood test for this disease. By identifying abnormal blood-based cancer markers, called biomarkers, our intent is to detect the cancer before it’s symptomatic. We believe such a blood test will lead to significant improvements in survival and can be broadly used outside the walls of MD Anderson.

Collaboration

Our projects depend on the expertise of several Moon Shot™ platforms, many of which enable us to quickly bring our groundbreaking research to patients. Through a partnership with the APOLLO Moon Shot platform, we’re integrating our liquid biopsy program, which monitors disease response to therapy, into the ongoing clinical trials where it will impact patients the most.

Scale

To better guide our cellular therapy approaches, we’ve conducted the largest and most comprehensive analysis of tumor-associated immune signatures of pancreatic cancer to date. This information will be used to create “off-the-shelf” immunotherapy strategies that can be used to treat most pancreatic cancers.

How you can help

Help end pancreatic cancer

Listen as Moon Shot co-leader Anirban Maitra, M.B.B.S., explains why we're unable to rely on traditional funding sources to support the innovative research projects that make our program unique.

For this reason, whether it comes in the form of advocating for our cause or making a financial donation, your help can improve outcomes for pancreatic cancer patients who face the current incurability of their disease.

Donate

Our Flagship Projects

The Pancreatic Cancer Moon Shot is aimed at ending pancreatic cancer using novel approaches on the following fronts:

Novel therapeutic strategies
Therapy prior to surgery (neoadjuvant therapy)
Early detection

Read more about each of the three projects below.

Development of novel therapeutic strategies

Pancreatic cancer is highly metastatic and often chemo-resistant. We’re taking a multi-prong approach to develop novel therapies to increase the overall survival of our patients. Over 90% of pancreatic patients have genetic abnormalities in a specific gene called KRAS. We’ve developed a way to silence these abnormalities using a novel delivery system called “iExosomes.” We’re also developing targeted therapies that inhibit recurrently abnormal genes and pathways in pancreatic cancer, investigating how to adapt immunotherapy into a treatment option for this disease and developing a liquid biopsy to personalize patient treatment.

Learn more

Therapy prior to surgery

Many pancreatic cancer patients who have localized disease will undergo surgery to have their tumor removed. MD Anderson Cancer Center has shown that patient survival outcomes improve if prior to surgery they are treated with drugs or radiation. This pre-surgical treatment is called neoadjuvant therapy. In fact, the median overall survival for pancreatic cancer patients that successfully complete neoadjuvant therapy and surgical resection at MD Anderson Cancer Center is 43 months, which is nearly double the national average.

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Earlier detection through biomarkers and imaging

Currently, early detection of pancreatic cancer is unusual, with the majority of patients (~85%) presenting with locally advanced or metastatic disease. This delay in detection contributes to the dismal prognosis of this disease. To dramatically shift the balance towards earlier treatment and resectable tumors, we’re developing a blood test and imaging tools that will detect pancreatic cancer before a patient is even symptomatic.

Learn more

STORIES OF HOPE

Pancreatic cancer survivor gives back

After Jane Mooney's stage IV pancreatic cancer was successfully treated at MD Anderson, saying "thank you" just wasn't enough. To help others who may be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, she's participating in a study that examines her blood to determine why she responded so well to treatment.

Read Jane's story >

CUTTING EDGE RESEARCH

A liquid biopsy for pancreatic cancer

Researchers are developing a blood-based biopsy for pancreatic cancers to identify their strengths and potential vulnerabilities. Since pancreatic tumors can be hard to reach to conduct traditional biopsies, a comprehensive liquid biopsy would address one of the major challenges concerning characterization of the disease. The information from this biopsy could be used to determine prognosis, guide targeted therapy and monitor treatment.

Research Progress

Attacking therapy-resistant tumors

MD Anderson researchers have discovered why pancreatic tumor cells may survive targeted therapy, and are using this new knowledge to design a way to combat this resistance.

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STORIES OF HOPE

An army of hope

Shannon Magee visualizes little green army men fighting her cancer.

Read Shannon's story >

PREVENTION AND EARLY DETECTION INITIATIVES

A clinic for high-risk patients

The Pancreatic Cancer Moon Shot team has established MD Anderson’s first pancreatic cancer high-risk clinic, where patients at increased risk (such as those with multiple family members with the disease, patients with pancreatic cysts or elderly patients with newly diagnosed diabetes) can be screened and advised. This new clinic has enormous potential to impact the lives of many families touched by this disease.

LEARN MORE