An observational study in Pancreatic Cancer, Pancreatic Diseases and Pancreatitis, sponsored by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Recruiting at 13 sites in 2 countries. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-08-14.
Sponsored by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center · Observational
The purpose of this study is to develop a minimally invasive test to diagnose pancreatic cancer at early stages of disease and monitor response to treatment.
3,896 studies on the registry are indexed under Pancreatic Neoplasms; 1,007 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 120 is below the median of 200 across 740 observational studies indexed under Pancreatic Neoplasms.
Browse Pancreatic Neoplasms studies →Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center is the lead sponsor of 1,964 studies on the registry; 327 are open to participants now.
Of its 135 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 71 (53%) have results posted.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Potential research subjects in the PDAC and benign pancreatic disease cohorts will be identified by a member of the patient's treatment team, the principal investigator, or research team at MSK or participating institutions. If the investigator is a member of the treatment team, s/he will screen their patients' medical records for suitable research study participants and discuss the study and their potential for enrolling in the research study. The investigator will use information provided by the patient and/or medical record to confirm that the patient is eligible and contact the patient regarding study enrollment. Healthy controls will be recruited from patients from outpatient primary care clinics at non-MSK sites and volunteers from which may include the staffs members at collaborating sites.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Cohort 1: Advanced Pancreatic Cancer Cohort Inclusion Criteria
Cohort 2: Operable Pancreatic Cancer Cohort Inclusion Criteria
Cohort 3: Acute Benign Pancreatic Pathology Control Inclusion Criteria
Cohort 4: Chronic Benign Pancreatic Pathology Control Inclusion Criteria
Cohort 5: IPMN Control Inclusion Criteria
Cohort 6: Pancreatic Cyst Control Inclusion Criteria
Cohort 7: Healthy Control Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria:
Cohort 1: Advanced Pancreatic Cancer Cohort Exclusion Criteria
Cohort 2: Operable Pancreatic Cancer Cohort Exclusion Criteria
Cohort 3: Acute Benign Pancreatic Pathology Control Exclusion Criteria
Cohort 4: Chronic Benign Pancreatic Pathology Control Exclusion Criteria
Cohort 5: IPMN Control Exclusion Criteria
Cohort 6: Pancreatic Cyst Control Exclusion Criteria
Cohort 7: Healthy Control Exclusion Criteria
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Cancer that has spread from where it began to other parts of the body. “Metastatic” cancer is cancer that has spread this way.
The protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. A low level is anaemia, which can cause tiredness and breathlessness. Measured in g/dL or g/L (9 g/dL is 90 g/L).
A scale of how much an illness limits everyday activity. For people being assessed to join a study, scores run from 0 (fully active) to 4; lower is more active.
Studies most often ask for 0–1 or 0–2. Your doctor gives the score; the WHO scale uses the same steps. The full scale also has 5, which records death.
A biopsy takes a small piece of tissue to examine. “Archival tissue” is a sample already taken, for example at diagnosis, and kept by the hospital.
Whether a stored sample will do depends on when it was taken, how much there is and what the study needs. Ask whether the study accepts your stored sample or needs a new biopsy.
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
Neoadjuvant treatment is given before the main treatment (usually surgery), often to shrink a tumour. Adjuvant treatment is given after it, to lower the chance of the cancer coming back.
Metastases
Cancer that has spread from where it began to other parts of the body. “Metastatic” cancer is cancer that has spread this way.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Hemoglobin (Hb)
The protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. A low level is anaemia, which can cause tiredness and breathlessness. Measured in g/dL or g/L (9 g/dL is 90 g/L).
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
ECOG performance status
A scale of how much an illness limits everyday activity. For people being assessed to join a study, scores run from 0 (fully active) to 4; lower is more active.
Studies most often ask for 0–1 or 0–2. Your doctor gives the score; the WHO scale uses the same steps. The full scale also has 5, which records death.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Biopsy and archival tissue
A biopsy takes a small piece of tissue to examine. “Archival tissue” is a sample already taken, for example at diagnosis, and kept by the hospital.
Whether a stored sample will do depends on when it was taken, how much there is and what the study needs. Ask whether the study accepts your stored sample or needs a new biopsy.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Cancer (malignancy)
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Adjuvant and neoadjuvant
Neoadjuvant treatment is given before the main treatment (usually surgery), often to shrink a tumour. Adjuvant treatment is given after it, to lower the chance of the cancer coming back.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Blood and sweat samples will be drawn from patients prior to starting treatment. A research biopsy may be performed for tissue analysis (ATAC-Array) (optional). This cohort is actively accruing.
Diagnostic Test: Blood Draw · Diagnostic Test: Tumor Tissue Collection
Blood samples will be drawn from patients prior to operation. Tissue from surgical sample may be analyzed (ATAC-Array) (optional). This cohort is actively accruing.
Diagnostic Test: Blood Draw · Diagnostic Test: Tumor Tissue Collection
Blood samples will be drawn during acute episode of disease and every 6 to 12 months thereafter, per institutional guidelines. This cohort is closed to accrual.
Diagnostic Test: Blood Draw
Blood samples will be drawn at study enrollment and every 6 to 12 months thereafter, per institutional guidelines. This cohort is closed to accrual.
Diagnostic Test: Blood Draw · Diagnostic Test: Cyst Fluid
Blood samples will be drawn at study enrollment and every 6 to 12 months thereafter, per institutional guidelines. This cohort is closed to accrual.
Diagnostic Test: Blood Draw · Diagnostic Test: Cyst Fluid
Blood samples will be drawn at study enrollment and every 6 to 12 months thereafter, per institutional guidelines. This cohort is closed to accrual.
Diagnostic Test: Blood Draw · Diagnostic Test: Cyst Fluid
Blood samples will be collected at study enrollment only. This cohort is closed to accrual.
Diagnostic Test: Blood Draw
If clinically safe, up to approximately 50ml of blood will be drawn, not to exceed the following criteria: Patients and controls weighing 50kg or more * For draw amounts up to 50mL, there is no required hemoglobin threshold. * For amounts exceeding 50mL, patients who meet standard blood banking criteria (e.g., hemoglobin values within normal limits and minimum weight of 50kg) may give as much as a full unit of blood (500mL) at one time or in divided fractions over a 56 day/eight week period. Patients and controls weighing \< 50kg * For patients whose hemoglobin is below normal limits but at least 7.0 gm/dL, no more than a total of 50 ml of blood or 5 ml/kg, whichever is less, may be collected per 56 day/eight week period, but no more than approximately 2 ml/kg of blood at any one time.
Tumor tissue will be obtained by already planned biopsy, either at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center or elsewhere
Cyst fluid will be obtained by already planned biopsy, either at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center or elsewhere
Change in biomarkers to determine sensitivity and specificity of the assay to diagnose early stage pancreatic cancer
Time frame: 4 years
Not enrolling at this site.
Plan to share: Undecided
Started Oct 2017 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Oct 2026, 108 months after the start.
Of 318 non-industry observational studies under Pancreatic Neoplasms, half reached primary completion within 74 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 34 and three quarters within 182. This study's planned 108 months is above that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 352 studies reached it within 60 months; a quarter within 34 and three quarters within 182.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
Eligibility is decided by the study team. Share this record with your doctor or contact the team directly.
Contact study teamGet an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
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Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center →