Thanks to the wonderful support of GCF donors, we are delighted to announce that the MASTERPLAN pancreatic cancer clinical trial will begin recruitment in Christchurch in early 2021 for a limited number of eligible patients.
This Australasian Gastro-Intestinal Cancer Clinical Trials Group (AGITG) study is investigating whether Stereotactic Radiotherapy (SBRT) can increase patients’ eligibility for surgery.
Currently, just 10% of pancreatic cancer patients are diagnosed early enough to undergo surgery, the only possible cure for this disease. The team, led by Dr Iain Ward, is investigating if the introduction of SBRT can increase the number of patients able to undergo surgery, which in turn could improve the drastically low survival rates for pancreatic cancer.
In addition, the trial will look at whether SBRT can also improve life expectancy and quality of life for patients whose tumour is too advanced for surgery.
You can read more about this trial and other supported by GCF donors here.