CClinicalTrials.gg
RecruitingNCT06388967PCDCUpdated Sep 28, 2026

Pancreatic Cancer Detection Consortium

An observational study in Pancreatic Cancer, Pancreatic Carcinoma and Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma, sponsored by City of Hope Medical Center. Recruiting at 13 sites in 3 countries. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-28.

Sponsored by City of Hope Medical Center · Observational

Study type
Observational
Model
Case-control
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
2,000
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This study aims to prospective validate an exosome-based miRNA signature for noninvasive and early detection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Read the detailed description

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest forms of cancer. It often goes undetected until it is at an advanced stage, making it challenging to treat. Currently, only a small percentage of patients are diagnosed early enough for effective treatment. While a blood marker exists, called serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), it is used primarily to track the disease, and it is unreliable for early detection.

To address this problem, the researchers have developed a new method to analyze circulating vesicles (called exosomes), which contain specific genetic material called microRNAs (miRNAs). In a previous study, by analyzing both the miRNAs that circulate freely in serum and the miRNAs that are inside the exosomes, the researchers have already identified a combination of 13 miRNAs that could accurately detect early-stage PDAC.

In this study, the researchers will test this method in a larger international cohort study. This study aims to confirm the effectiveness of this approach in identifying PDAC at its earliest stages.

02

Conditions studied

  • Pancreatic Cancer
  • Pancreatic Carcinoma
  • Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma
  • Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms
  • Pancreatic Cancer Stage I
  • Pancreatic Cancer Stage
  • Pancreatic Cancer Resectable
  • Pancreatic Cancer Stage 0
  • Pancreatic Cancer Stage II
  • Pancreatic Cancer Stage III
  • Pancreatic Cancer, Adult
  • Pancreatic Cancer Non-resectable

Keywords

  • Micro RNA
  • Exosome
  • Cell free
  • Early detection
  • Screening
03

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes
Sampling method
Non-probability sample

Study population

Independent cohorts of individuals with and without pancreatic cancer (cases and controls, respectively)

Inclusion criteria

  • Histological diagnosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, stages I-IV (TNM classification, 8th edition)
  • Received standard diagnostic and staging procedures as per local guidelines, and at least one sample was drawn before receiving any curative-intent treatment.
  • Imaging- or endoscopy-based proof of lack of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma at the time of sampling (Non-disease controls)

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Lack of written informed consent.
04

Study design

Observational model
Case-control
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
2,000 participants (estimated)
Patient registry
No
Biospecimen retention
Samples without dna

Groups and cohorts

  • Patients with Pancreatic Cancer Ductal Adenocarcinoma (Training)

    Individuals diagnosed with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

    Diagnostic Test: PANcreatic cancer Exosome Early detectiON (PANXEON)

  • Individuals without Pancreatic Cancer Ductal Adenocarcinoma (Training)

    Individuals without pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

    Diagnostic Test: PANcreatic cancer Exosome Early detectiON (PANXEON)

  • Patients with Pancreatic Cancer Ductal Adenocarcinoma (Validation)

    Individuals diagnosed with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

    Diagnostic Test: PANcreatic cancer Exosome Early detectiON (PANXEON)

  • Individuals without Pancreatic Cancer Ductal Adenocarcinoma (Validation)

    Individuals without pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

    Diagnostic Test: PANcreatic cancer Exosome Early detectiON (PANXEON)

Interventions

  • Diagnostic testPANcreatic cancer Exosome Early detectiON (PANXEON)

    This test will utilize quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) to quantify the expression levels of 5 cell-free and 8 exosome-miRNAs in plasma samples obtained from patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and from individuals without it

    Also known as: PANXEON (PANcreatic cancer Exosome Early detectiON)

05

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Sensitivity

    True positive rate: the probability of a positive test result, conditioned on the individual truly being positive

    Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year

Secondary outcomes

  1. Specificity

    True negative rate: the probability of a negative test result, conditioned on the individual truly being negative

    Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year

  2. Accuracy

    A measure of trueness: proportion of correct predictions (both true positives and true negatives) among the total number of cases examined

    Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year

06

Study locations

11 of 13 sites recruiting
  • Translational Genomics Research Institute
    Phoenix, Arizona 85004, United States
    • Daniel Von Hoff · Contact · dvh@tgen.org
    • Daniel Von Hoff · Principal investigator
    • Haiyong Han · Sub investigator
    • Derek Cridebring · Sub investigator
    Recruiting
  • Honorhealth
    Scottsdale, Arizona 85258, United States
    Terminated
  • City of Hope Medical Center
    Monrovia, California 91016, United States
    • Ajay Goel, PhD · Contact · AJGOEL@COH.ORG · 626-218-3452
    • Ajay Goel · Principal investigator
    • Stanley Hamilton · Sub investigator
    • Vincent Chung · Sub investigator
    • Caiming Xu · Sub investigator
    • Alessandro Mannucci · Sub investigator
    Recruiting
  • Hoag Center
    Newport Beach, California 92663, United States
    Terminated
  • OSF HealthCare
    Peoria, Illinois 61637, United States
    Recruiting
  • Ochsner Medical Center
    Jefferson, Louisiana 70121, United States
    Recruiting
  • Atlantic Health System
    Morristown, New Jersey 07960, United States
    Recruiting
  • AHN Cancer Institute at Allegheny General Hospital
    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15212, United States
    Recruiting
  • Piedmont Medical Center
    Rock Hill, South Carolina 29732, United States
    Recruiting
  • MultiCare Cancer Institute - Tacoma General Hospital
    Tacoma, Washington 98405, United States
    Recruiting
  • Medical College of Wisconsin
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226, United States
    • Douglas Evans · Contact · devans@mcw.edu
    • Douglas Evans · Sub investigator
    Recruiting
  • Nagoya University
    Nagoya, Japan
    Recruiting
  • Asan Medical Center
    Seoul, South Korea
    Recruiting
07

References and documents

Publications

  • Ryan DP, Hong TS, Bardeesy N. Pancreatic adenocarcinoma. N Engl J Med. 2014 Sep 11;371(11):1039-49. doi: 10.1056/NEJMra1404198. No abstract available. PubMed 25207767 ↗
  • Kleeff J, Korc M, Apte M, La Vecchia C, Johnson CD, Biankin AV, Neale RE, Tempero M, Tuveson DA, Hruban RH, Neoptolemos JP. Pancreatic cancer. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2016 Apr 21;2:16022. doi: 10.1038/nrdp.2016.22. PubMed 27158978 ↗
  • Mizrahi JD, Surana R, Valle JW, Shroff RT. Pancreatic cancer. Lancet. 2020 Jun 27;395(10242):2008-2020. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30974-0. PubMed 32593337 ↗
  • Sung H, Ferlay J, Siegel RL, Laversanne M, Soerjomataram I, Jemal A, Bray F. Global Cancer Statistics 2020: GLOBOCAN Estimates of Incidence and Mortality Worldwide for 36 Cancers in 185 Countries. CA Cancer J Clin. 2021 May;71(3):209-249. doi: 10.3322/caac.21660. Epub 2021 Feb 4. PubMed 33538338 ↗
  • Rahib L, Smith BD, Aizenberg R, Rosenzweig AB, Fleshman JM, Matrisian LM. Projecting cancer incidence and deaths to 2030: the unexpected burden of thyroid, liver, and pancreas cancers in the United States. Cancer Res. 2014 Jun 1;74(11):2913-21. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-14-0155. PubMed 24840647 ↗
  • Vincent A, Herman J, Schulick R, Hruban RH, Goggins M. Pancreatic cancer. Lancet. 2011 Aug 13;378(9791):607-20. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(10)62307-0. Epub 2011 May 26. PubMed 21620466 ↗
  • Uesaka K, Boku N, Fukutomi A, Okamura Y, Konishi M, Matsumoto I, Kaneoka Y, Shimizu Y, Nakamori S, Sakamoto H, Morinaga S, Kainuma O, Imai K, Sata N, Hishinuma S, Ojima H, Yamaguchi R, Hirano S, Sudo T, Ohashi Y; JASPAC 01 Study Group. Adjuvant chemotherapy of S-1 versus gemcitabine for resected pancreatic cancer: a phase 3, open-label, randomised, non-inferiority trial (JASPAC 01). Lancet. 2016 Jul 16;388(10041):248-57. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30583-9. Epub 2016 Jun 2. PubMed 27265347 ↗
  • Conroy T, Hammel P, Hebbar M, Ben Abdelghani M, Wei AC, Raoul JL, Chone L, Francois E, Artru P, Biagi JJ, Lecomte T, Assenat E, Faroux R, Ychou M, Volet J, Sauvanet A, Breysacher G, Di Fiore F, Cripps C, Kavan P, Texereau P, Bouhier-Leporrier K, Khemissa-Akouz F, Legoux JL, Juzyna B, Gourgou S, O'Callaghan CJ, Jouffroy-Zeller C, Rat P, Malka D, Castan F, Bachet JB; Canadian Cancer Trials Group and the Unicancer-GI-PRODIGE Group. FOLFIRINOX or Gemcitabine as Adjuvant Therapy for Pancreatic Cancer. N Engl J Med. 2018 Dec 20;379(25):2395-2406. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1809775. PubMed 30575490 ↗
  • Conroy T, Desseigne F, Ychou M, Bouche O, Guimbaud R, Becouarn Y, Adenis A, Raoul JL, Gourgou-Bourgade S, de la Fouchardiere C, Bennouna J, Bachet JB, Khemissa-Akouz F, Pere-Verge D, Delbaldo C, Assenat E, Chauffert B, Michel P, Montoto-Grillot C, Ducreux M; Groupe Tumeurs Digestives of Unicancer; PRODIGE Intergroup. FOLFIRINOX versus gemcitabine for metastatic pancreatic cancer. N Engl J Med. 2011 May 12;364(19):1817-25. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1011923. PubMed 21561347 ↗
  • Von Hoff DD, Ervin T, Arena FP, Chiorean EG, Infante J, Moore M, Seay T, Tjulandin SA, Ma WW, Saleh MN, Harris M, Reni M, Dowden S, Laheru D, Bahary N, Ramanathan RK, Tabernero J, Hidalgo M, Goldstein D, Van Cutsem E, Wei X, Iglesias J, Renschler MF. Increased survival in pancreatic cancer with nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine. N Engl J Med. 2013 Oct 31;369(18):1691-703. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1304369. Epub 2013 Oct 16. PubMed 24131140 ↗
  • Golan T, Hammel P, Reni M, Van Cutsem E, Macarulla T, Hall MJ, Park JO, Hochhauser D, Arnold D, Oh DY, Reinacher-Schick A, Tortora G, Algul H, O'Reilly EM, McGuinness D, Cui KY, Schlienger K, Locker GY, Kindler HL. Maintenance Olaparib for Germline BRCA-Mutated Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer. N Engl J Med. 2019 Jul 25;381(4):317-327. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1903387. Epub 2019 Jun 2. PubMed 31157963 ↗
  • Fahrmann JF, Schmidt CM, Mao X, Irajizad E, Loftus M, Zhang J, Patel N, Vykoukal J, Dennison JB, Long JP, Do KA, Zhang J, Chabot JA, Kluger MD, Kastrinos F, Brais L, Babic A, Jajoo K, Lee LS, Clancy TE, Ng K, Bullock A, Genkinger J, Yip-Schneider MT, Maitra A, Wolpin BM, Hanash S. Lead-Time Trajectory of CA19-9 as an Anchor Marker for Pancreatic Cancer Early Detection. Gastroenterology. 2021 Mar;160(4):1373-1383.e6. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2020.11.052. Epub 2020 Dec 14. PubMed 33333055 ↗
  • Majumder S, Taylor WR, Foote PH, Berger CK, Wu CW, Mahoney DW, Bamlet WR, Burger KN, Postier N, de la Fuente J, Doering KA, Lidgard GP, Allawi HT, Petersen GM, Chari ST, Ahlquist DA, Kisiel JB. High Detection Rates of Pancreatic Cancer Across Stages by Plasma Assay of Novel Methylated DNA Markers and CA19-9. Clin Cancer Res. 2021 May 1;27(9):2523-2532. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-20-0235. Epub 2021 Feb 16. PubMed 33593879 ↗
  • Gui JC, Yan WL, Liu XD. CA19-9 and CA242 as tumor markers for the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer: a meta-analysis. Clin Exp Med. 2014 May;14(2):225-33. doi: 10.1007/s10238-013-0234-9. Epub 2013 Mar 3. PubMed 23456571 ↗
  • Tempero MA, Uchida E, Takasaki H, Burnett DA, Steplewski Z, Pour PM. Relationship of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 and Lewis antigens in pancreatic cancer. Cancer Res. 1987 Oct 15;47(20):5501-3. PubMed 3308077 ↗
  • Martin LK, Wei L, Trolli E, Bekaii-Saab T. Elevated baseline CA19-9 levels correlate with adverse prognosis in patients with early- or advanced-stage pancreas cancer. Med Oncol. 2012 Dec;29(5):3101-7. doi: 10.1007/s12032-012-0278-9. Epub 2012 Jun 24. PubMed 22729400 ↗
  • Luo G, Liu C, Guo M, Cheng H, Lu Y, Jin K, Liu L, Long J, Xu J, Lu R, Ni Q, Yu X. Potential Biomarkers in Lewis Negative Patients With Pancreatic Cancer. Ann Surg. 2017 Apr;265(4):800-805. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000001741. PubMed 28267695 ↗
  • Cescon DW, Bratman SV, Chan SM, Siu LL. Circulating tumor DNA and liquid biopsy in oncology. Nat Cancer. 2020 Mar;1(3):276-290. doi: 10.1038/s43018-020-0043-5. Epub 2020 Mar 20. PubMed 35122035 ↗
  • Pantel K, Alix-Panabieres C. Liquid biopsy and minimal residual disease - latest advances and implications for cure. Nat Rev Clin Oncol. 2019 Jul;16(7):409-424. doi: 10.1038/s41571-019-0187-3. PubMed 30796368 ↗
  • Crowley E, Di Nicolantonio F, Loupakis F, Bardelli A. Liquid biopsy: monitoring cancer-genetics in the blood. Nat Rev Clin Oncol. 2013 Aug;10(8):472-84. doi: 10.1038/nrclinonc.2013.110. Epub 2013 Jul 9. PubMed 23836314 ↗
  • Kilgour E, Rothwell DG, Brady G, Dive C. Liquid Biopsy-Based Biomarkers of Treatment Response and Resistance. Cancer Cell. 2020 Apr 13;37(4):485-495. doi: 10.1016/j.ccell.2020.03.012. PubMed 32289272 ↗
  • Bloomston M, Frankel WL, Petrocca F, Volinia S, Alder H, Hagan JP, Liu CG, Bhatt D, Taccioli C, Croce CM. MicroRNA expression patterns to differentiate pancreatic adenocarcinoma from normal pancreas and chronic pancreatitis. JAMA. 2007 May 2;297(17):1901-8. doi: 10.1001/jama.297.17.1901. PubMed 17473300 ↗
  • Jin X, Chen Y, Chen H, Fei S, Chen D, Cai X, Liu L, Lin B, Su H, Zhao L, Su M, Pan H, Shen L, Xie D, Xie C. Evaluation of Tumor-Derived Exosomal miRNA as Potential Diagnostic Biomarkers for Early-Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Using Next-Generation Sequencing. Clin Cancer Res. 2017 Sep 1;23(17):5311-5319. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-17-0577. Epub 2017 Jun 12. PubMed 28606918 ↗
  • Yu W, Hurley J, Roberts D, Chakrabortty SK, Enderle D, Noerholm M, Breakefield XO, Skog JK. Exosome-based liquid biopsies in cancer: opportunities and challenges. Ann Oncol. 2021 Apr;32(4):466-477. doi: 10.1016/j.annonc.2021.01.074. Epub 2021 Feb 4. PubMed 33548389 ↗
  • Krug AK, Enderle D, Karlovich C, Priewasser T, Bentink S, Spiel A, Brinkmann K, Emenegger J, Grimm DG, Castellanos-Rizaldos E, Goldman JW, Sequist LV, Soria JC, Camidge DR, Gadgeel SM, Wakelee HA, Raponi M, Noerholm M, Skog J. Improved EGFR mutation detection using combined exosomal RNA and circulating tumor DNA in NSCLC patient plasma. Ann Oncol. 2018 Mar 1;29(3):700-706. doi: 10.1093/annonc/mdx765. PubMed 29216356 ↗
  • San Lucas FA, Allenson K, Bernard V, Castillo J, Kim DU, Ellis K, Ehli EA, Davies GE, Petersen JL, Li D, Wolff R, Katz M, Varadhachary G, Wistuba I, Maitra A, Alvarez H. Minimally invasive genomic and transcriptomic profiling of visceral cancers by next-generation sequencing of circulating exosomes. Ann Oncol. 2016 Apr;27(4):635-41. doi: 10.1093/annonc/mdv604. Epub 2015 Dec 17. PubMed 26681674 ↗
  • Ingenito F, Roscigno G, Affinito A, Nuzzo S, Scognamiglio I, Quintavalle C, Condorelli G. The Role of Exo-miRNAs in Cancer: A Focus on Therapeutic and Diagnostic Applications. Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Sep 21;20(19):4687. doi: 10.3390/ijms20194687. PubMed 31546654 ↗
  • Toiyama Y, Okugawa Y, Fleshman J, Richard Boland C, Goel A. MicroRNAs as potential liquid biopsy biomarkers in colorectal cancer: A systematic review. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer. 2018 Dec;1870(2):274-282. doi: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2018.05.006. Epub 2018 May 29. PubMed 29852194 ↗
  • Shigeyasu K, Toden S, Zumwalt TJ, Okugawa Y, Goel A. Emerging Role of MicroRNAs as Liquid Biopsy Biomarkers in Gastrointestinal Cancers. Clin Cancer Res. 2017 May 15;23(10):2391-2399. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-16-1676. Epub 2017 Jan 31. PubMed 28143873 ↗
  • Nishiwada S, Cui Y, Sho M, Jun E, Akahori T, Nakamura K, Sonohara F, Yamada S, Fujii T, Han IW, Tsai S, Kodera Y, Park JO, Von Hoff D, Kim SC, Li W, Goel A. Transcriptomic Profiling Identifies an Exosomal microRNA Signature for Predicting Recurrence Following Surgery in Patients With Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Ann Surg. 2022 Dec 1;276(6):e876-e885. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000004993. Epub 2021 Jun 16. PubMed 34132691 ↗
  • Nakamura K, Zhu Z, Roy S, Jun E, Han H, Munoz RM, Nishiwada S, Sharma G, Cridebring D, Zenhausern F, Kim S, Roe DJ, Darabi S, Han IW, Evans DB, Yamada S, Demeure MJ, Becerra C, Celinski SA, Borazanci E, Tsai S, Kodera Y, Park JO, Bolton JS, Wang X, Kim SC, Von Hoff D, Goel A. An Exosome-based Transcriptomic Signature for Noninvasive, Early Detection of Patients With Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: A Multicenter Cohort Study. Gastroenterology. 2022 Nov;163(5):1252-1266.e2. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2022.06.090. Epub 2022 Jul 16. PubMed 35850192 ↗
  • Xu C, Mannucci A, Han H, Munoz RM, Cridebring D, Darabi S, Toiyama Y, Okugawa Y, Singh G, Raoof M, Park JO, Lin J, Idos G, Demeure MJ, Borazanci E, Evans DB, Tsai S, Jun E, Becerra C, Celinski SA, Melstrom L, Chung V, Zhang G, Shang D, Bartlett DL, Kanda M, Kim SC, Anagnastou V, Cavestro GM, Bolton JS, Zaidi AH, Von Hoff D, Goel A. Liquid biopsy for early detection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Nat Med. 2026 Sep 16. doi: 10.1038/s41591-026-04625-x. Online ahead of print. PubMed 42749887 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Undecided — Data collected for the study will be made available to others, including de-identified participant data, at publication, via a signed data access agreement and at the discretion of the investigators' approval of the proposed use of such data

08

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT06388967
Lead sponsor
City of Hope Medical Center
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Apr 29, 2024
Start date
Mar 15, 2023
Primary completion
Dec 30, 2030 (estimated)
Completion
Dec 30, 2030 (estimated)
Last update
Sep 28, 2026

Study contacts

Ajay Goel, PhD
Contact
AJGOEL@COH.ORG
6262183452
Ajay Goel, PhD
principal investigator · City of Hope Medical Center

Oversight

FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Interested in this study?

Eligibility is decided by the study team. Share this record with your doctor or contact the team directly.

Contact study team

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