CClinicalTrials.gg
Active, not recruitingNCT04927780PREOPANC-3Updated May 15, 2026

Perioperative or Adjuvant mFOLFIRINOX for Resectable Pancreatic Cancer

A Phase 3 interventional study of Leucovorin Calcium and Fluorouracil in Pancreatic Cancer, Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma and Resectable Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma, sponsored by Erasmus Medical Center. Active, not recruiting at 21 sites in 2 countries. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-05-15.

Sponsored by Erasmus Medical Center · Phase 3, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
378
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The PREOPANC-3 study is a randomized, multicenter, phase 3 trial. Patients with resectable pancreatic cancer will be randomly assigned (1:1) to 8 cycles of neoadjuvant mFOLFIRINOX followed by surgery and 4 cycles of adjuvant mFOLFIRINOX (arm 1) or to upfront surgery followed by 12 cycles of adjuvant mFOLFIRINOX (arm 2).

The primary objective of the trial is to determine whether perioperative mFOLFIRINOX improves overall survival compared with adjuvant mFOLFIRINOX in patients with resectable pancreatic cancer.

02

Conditions studied

  • Pancreatic Cancer
  • Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
  • Resectable Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma

Keywords

  • Neoadjuvant Therapy
  • Adjuvant Chemotherapy
  • Oxaliplatin
  • Irinotecan
  • Leucovorin
  • Fluorouracil
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms
  • Pancreatectomy
03

In context

Pancreatic Neoplasms

3,235 studies on the registry are indexed under Pancreatic Neoplasms; 899 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 378 is above the median of 46 across 2,424 interventional studies indexed under Pancreatic Neoplasms.

Browse Pancreatic Neoplasms studies →

Lead sponsor

Erasmus Medical Center is the lead sponsor of 466 studies on the registry; 179 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Histologically or cytologically (Bethesda 5 or 6) confirmed pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
  • Resectable tumor according to Dutch Pancreatic Cancer Group criteria: no arterial contact and venous contact with the superior mesenteric vein or portal vein of 90 degrees or less
  • No evidence for metastatic disease
  • WHO performance status of 0 or 1
  • Ability to undergo surgery and mFOLFIRINOX chemotherapy
  • Leucocytes (WBC) ≥ 3.0 x 10\^9/L
  • Platelets ≥ 100 x 10\^9/L
  • Hemoglobin ≥ 6.0 mmol/l
  • Renal function: eGFR ≥ 40 ml/min
  • Age ≥ 18 years
  • Written informed consent

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Prior radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or surgery for pancreatic cancer.
  • Prior chemotherapy precluding mFOLFIRINOX.
  • Previous malignancy (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer, pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (pNET) \<2cm, and gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) \<2cm), unless no evidence of disease and diagnosed more than 3 years before diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, or with a life expectancy of more than 5 years from date of inclusion.
  • Pregnancy or lactation.
  • Serious concomitant systemic disorders that would compromise the safety of the patient or his/her ability to complete the study, at the discretion of the investigator.
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 3
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
378 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Arm 1: Perioperative mFOLFIRINOX

    Patients in the intervention arm (arm 1) start with neoadjuvant mFOLFIRINOX (consisting of oxaliplatin 85 mg/m², irinotecan 150 mg/m², leucovorin 400 mg/m², all at day 1, and fluorouracil continuous IV infusion 2.4 g/m² over 46 hours). Cycles are repeated every 14 days. After eight cycles, surgical resection is performed in the absence of unresectable or metastatic disease. After resection, four cycles of adjuvant mFOLFIRINOX are scheduled.

    Drug: Leucovorin Calcium · Drug: Fluorouracil · Drug: Irinotecan Hydrochloride · Drug: Oxaliplatin · Procedure: Resection

  • Active comparator
    Arm 2: Adjuvant mFOLFIRINOX

    Patients in the comparator arm (arm 2) start with surgery. After resection, 12 cycles of adjuvant mFOLFIRINOX (consisting of oxaliplatin 85 mg/m², irinotecan 150 mg/m², leucovorin 400 mg/m², all at day 1, and fluorouracil continuous IV infusion 2.4 g/m² over 46 hours) are scheduled.

    Drug: Leucovorin Calcium · Drug: Fluorouracil · Drug: Irinotecan Hydrochloride · Drug: Oxaliplatin · Procedure: Resection

Interventions

  • DrugLeucovorin Calcium

    IV

  • DrugFluorouracil

    IV

  • DrugIrinotecan Hydrochloride

    IV

  • DrugOxaliplatin

    IV

  • ProcedureResection

    Open or minimally-invasive pancreatectomy.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Overall survival

    The time between randomization and death from any cause. Patients alive at last follow-up are censored.

    Time frame: Up to 5 years after randomization.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Progression free survival

    The time between randomization and locoregional progressive disease before or during treatment (resulting in irresectability), the occurrence of distant metastases, recurrent pancreatic cancer after surgery or death from any cause. Patients alive and free of these events at last follow-up are censored.

    Time frame: Up to 5 years after randomization.

  2. Distant metastases free survival

    The time between randomization and the occurrence of distant metastases or death from any cause. Patients alive and free of these events at last follow-up are censored.

    Time frame: Up to 5 years after randomization.

  3. Locoregional progression free survival

    The time between randomization and locoregional progression before or during treatment (resulting in irresectability), locoregional recurrence after resection or death from any cause. Patients alive and free of these events at last follow-up are censored.

    Time frame: Up to 5 years after randomization.

  4. Distant metastases free interval

    The time between randomization and the occurrence of distant metastases. Distant metastases are considered an event and patients are censored at death or last follow-up when without this event.

    Time frame: Up to 5 years after randomization.

  5. Locoregional progression free interval

    The time between randomization and locoregional progression before or during treatment (resulting in irresectability), or locoregional recurrence after resection. Locoregional progressive disease before or during treatment or locoregional recurrence after resection are considered an event and patients are censored at death or last follow-up when free of these events.

    Time frame: Up to 5 years after randomization.

  6. Chemotherapy start rate

    The percentage of patients who received at least one cycle of scheduled chemotherapy.

    Time frame: 4 months

  7. Number of chemotherapy cycles received.

    The number of mFOLFIRINOX cycles patients received.

    Time frame: 9 months

  8. Chemotherapy completion rate

    The percentage of patients who completed all cycles of scheduled chemotherapy.

    Time frame: 9 months

  9. Dose intensity

    The amount of drug delivered as a percentage of planned dose according to the protocol.

    Time frame: 9 months

  10. Staging laparoscopy rate

    The percentage of patients that actually underwent a staging laparoscopy, regardless whether a surgical exploration or resection was performed.

    Time frame: At the time of surgery.

  11. Laparoscopy yield

    The percentage of patients that underwent staging laparoscopy and were diagnosed with metastatic or unresectable disease during this procedure.

    Time frame: At the time of surgery.

  12. Surgical exploration rate

    The percentage of patients who underwent a surgical exploration (open or minimally-invasive), regardless whether a resection was performed.

    Time frame: At the time of surgery.

  13. Resection rate

    The percentage of patients that underwent a curative-intent resection.

    Time frame: At the time of surgery.

  14. Microscopically margin-negative (R0) resection rate

    The percentage of patients that underwent a microscopically margin-negative (R0) resection. The resection is considered R0 if there is no tumor within 1 mm of the margins.

    Time frame: At the time of surgery.

  15. Lymph node-negative (N0) resection rate

    The percentage of patients that underwent a resection with negative lymph nodes (N0) in the surgical specimen.

    Time frame: At the time of surgery.

  16. Pathologic response

    Tumor regression score in the surgical specimen

    Time frame: At the time of surgery.

  17. Adverse events as assessed by the CTCAE version 5.0

    Adverse events are assessed during neoadjuvant therapy and adjuvant therapy.

    Time frame: Until 30 days after last chemotherapy.

  18. Postoperative complications

    According to the Clavien-Dindo classification and by the International Study Group of Pancreatic Surgery and International Study Group of Liver Surgery.

    Time frame: Up to 90 days after surgery.

  19. Serum CA 19-9 and CEA response

    The change in carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) after surgery and after 4, 8, and 12 cycles of mFOLFIRINOX compared to baseline.

    Time frame: 9 months

  20. Clinical response rate according to RECIST criteria version 1.1

    Response comparing baseline and restaging after 4 and 8 cycles of mFOLFIRINOX

    Time frame: At the time of surgery.

  21. Patient reported cancer-specific health-related Quality of Life (HRQoL) as assessed using the EORTC QLQ-C30

    At baseline and at 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months and every subsequent year

    Time frame: Up to 5 years after randomization.

  22. Patient reported non-disease specific HRQoL as assessed using the EQ-5D-5L

    At baseline and at 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months and every subsequent year

    Time frame: Up to 5 years after randomization.

  23. Patient reported tumor-specific HRQoL as assessed using the EORTC LQPAN26

    At baseline and at 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months and every subsequent year

    Time frame: Up to 5 years after randomization.

  24. Patient reported Quality of Life as assessed using the worry of progression of cancer scale (WOPS)

    At baseline and at 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months and every subsequent year

    Time frame: Up to 5 years after randomization.

  25. Patient reported chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy as assessed using the EORTC QLQ-CIPN20

    At baseline and at 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months and every subsequent year

    Time frame: Up to 5 years after randomization.

  26. Patient reported Quality of Life as assessed using the happiness, hospital, anxiety and depression scale (HADS)

    At baseline and at 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months and every subsequent year

    Time frame: Up to 5 years after randomization.

  27. Patient reported Quality of Life as assessed using Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI) questionnaire

    At baseline and at 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months and every subsequent year

    Time frame: Up to 5 years after randomization.

07

Study locations

21 sites
  • Jeroen Bosch Hospital
    's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands
  • Meander Medical Center
    Amersfoort, Netherlands
  • Amsterdam UMC
    Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • OLVG
    Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • Amphia Hospital
    Breda, Netherlands
  • Deventer Hospital
    Deventer, Netherlands
  • Catharina Hospital
    Eindhoven, Netherlands
  • Medisch Spectrum Twente
    Enschede, Netherlands
  • University Medical Center Groningen
    Groningen, Netherlands
  • Tjongerschans Hospital
    Heerenveen, Netherlands
  • Medical Center Leeuwarden
    Leeuwarden, Netherlands
  • Leiden University Medical Center
    Leiden, Netherlands
  • Maastricht UMC+
    Maastricht, Netherlands
  • Radboud University Medical Center
    Nijmegen, Netherlands
  • Erasmus MC University Medical Center
    Rotterdam, Netherlands
  • Maasstad Ziekenhuis
    Rotterdam, Netherlands
  • Regional Academic Center Utrecht, Antonius Hospital
    Utrecht, Netherlands
  • Isala Hospital
    Zwolle, Netherlands
  • Sahlgrenska University Hospital
    Gothenburg, Sweden
  • Skåne University Hospital
    Lund, Sweden
  • Karolinska University Hospital
    Stockholm, Sweden
08

References and documents

Publications

  • van Dam JL, Verkolf EMM, Dekker EN, Bonsing BA, Bratlie SO, Brosens LAA, Busch OR, van Driel LMJW, van Eijck CHJ, Feshtali S, Ghorbani P, de Groot DJA, de Groot JWB, Haberkorn BCM, de Hingh IH, van der Holt B, Karsten TM, van der Kolk MB, Labori KJ, Liem MSL, Loosveld OJL, Molenaar IQ, Polee MB, van Santvoort HC, de Vos-Geelen J, Wumkes ML, van Tienhoven G, Homs MYV, Besselink MG, Wilmink JW, Groot Koerkamp B; Dutch Pancreatic Cancer Group. Perioperative or adjuvant mFOLFIRINOX for resectable pancreatic cancer (PREOPANC-3): study protocol for a multicenter randomized controlled trial. BMC Cancer. 2023 Aug 7;23(1):728. doi: 10.1186/s12885-023-11141-5. PubMed 37550634 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Yes

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on May 15, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT04927780
Lead sponsor
Erasmus Medical Center
Collaborators
Dutch Pancreatic Cancer Group, Dutch Cancer Society
Responsible party
Bas Groot Koerkamp, MD, PhD (Principal Investigator, Erasmus Medical Center) — Principal investigator
First posted
Jun 16, 2021
Start date
Sep 7, 2021
Primary completion
Jan 2027 (estimated)
Completion
Jul 2029 (estimated)
Last update
May 15, 2026

Study contacts

Bas Groot Koerkamp, MD, PhD
principal investigator · Erasmus MC University Medical Center

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
Yes
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is active, not recruiting, as verified in May 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

Follow this study

Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.

Sign in to follow

Discussion

Questions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.

Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.

Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.

Start the discussion