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2024
Medical research

Pancor project (pancreatic cancer)

Description

The Pancor project aims to develop pancreatic cancer organoids from patient samples for personalised functional drug profiling. Pancreatic cancer, and in particular pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), is an aggressive disease with a 5-year survival rate of less than 5%. The project uses 3D cell cultures, in particular PDAC organoids, to better predict clinical responses to drugs. This project is based on a functional drug profiling (FDP) platform, which has already been tested in pilot clinical trials for metastatic colorectal cancer. The aim is to broaden this approach to include PDAC, including from endoscopic ultrasound-guided biopsies (FNA/B).

Added value

The main added value of the project lies in the use of PDAC organoids as a tool for personalising patient treatment on the basis of their specific characteristics. The use of 3D cultures makes it possible to reproduce the natural environment of tumour cells more effectively, thereby improving the accuracy of treatment response predictions compared with conventional 2D cell cultures. This project aims to make treatment options more accessible and appropriate for patients with PDAC, even in cases where surgical biopsies are not possible, by using smaller samples such as fine needle biopsies (FNA/B).

Status

The project is currently in the development phase, with active collaboration between the reference hospital in Luxembourg (HRS) and the Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH). A pilot clinical trial has already been successfully conducted for metastatic colorectal cancer. The project is now ready to launch a clinical trial to assess the implementation of PFP for PDAC patients in Luxembourg, using surgical specimens as well as FNA/B biopsies. Additional funding of €100,000 is required to cover the operational costs of the project.

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100
K€ required to cover the operational costs of the project
50
patients are expected to be included in the study within the next three years.
Dr Maike Aurich
Medical Academy Coordinator
"Clinical research is an essential aspect of medical innovation, as it enables us to understand, treat and prevent diseases such as pancreatic cancer. The participants in these studies may not benefit from their participation themselves, but their contribution could lead to a better understanding of pancreatic cancer and improved treatments in the future."
Dr Marc Berna
Chief Executive Officer of Hôpitaux Robert Schuman
"Pancreatic cancer is relatively uncommon, but it is the fourth most deadly cancer in Luxembourg. Furthermore, no major advances have been made in the treatment of pancreatic cancer in recent decades. Our aim is to create a personalised systemic treatment for each patient."
Marie Berbon
Patient partner
"This project is unique in that it includes a new role within the research, that of patient partner. It provides the opportunity to bring a unique and complementary view, namely that of the patient experience. The research project will take into account the reality of patients in order to improve the relevance of the questions asked and to take of patient's voice fully into account at the various key stages. I am convinced that this partnership will make research more humane, more inclusive and more efficient."
Dr Felix Kleine-Borgmann
Doctor in training, Co-PI
"As physicians at the Hôpitaux Robert Schuman we are privileged to work with patients and our research partners at LIH to better understand and treat diseases such as pancreatic cancer. In this project, we aim to tailor personalized treatment options for cancer patients and deliver these directly from the bench to the bedside."
Dr Yong-Jun Kwon
Head of Precision Medicine Technology, Precision Medicine Technology; LIH
"We are advancing personalised functional profiling to develop tailored treatments for pancreatic cancer that meet the unique needs of each patient. Your support will help us to provide precise solutions that will save lives and bring new hope to those battling this devastating disease."
Dr Victoria El Khoury
Project Leader, Precision Medicine Technology
"Every patient is unique and every tumour is different. We use the patient's own cancer cells to reproduce the characteristics of their tumour as closely as possible in order to identify the drug that would be most effective in their case."

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