Using an Approved Device to Increase the Immune Response in Pancreatic Cancer Patients

Principal Investigator: Dr. Rafael Davalos

Co-Investigator: Dr. Robert C.G. Martin

Disease: Pancreatic Cancer

Research Description: Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is a non-thermal, focused procedure that relies on the delivery of short, yet intense, electrical pulses to destroy the target tissue. These pulses damage the cell membrane, which in turn kills the cells. IRE is ideally suited to treat patients with tumors that cannot be removed via surgery (unresectable), because it destroys the tumor without damaging the surrounding tissue. The use of IRE has been shown to dramatically improve the lifespan of thousands of patients suffering from unresectable prostate, liver, pancreatic and adrenal cancers. This clinical project will use an IRE device to treat pancreatic cancer patients and will track the immune response to this IRE treatment. The IRE treatment will be optimized to increase the immune re

sponse in patients, which then could be used to help fight the cancer. Results from this study will be used to effectively combine IRE with immunotherapy in subsequent studies, with the hope of improving patient outcomes in pancreatic cancer.

Funding Partners: Anonymous

CWR funding role: Primary funder

Completed: 2018