2020 Collaboration Grants - Dr Daniel Croagh

Project Summary

Accelerating the uptake of precision medicine in pancreatic cancer using endoscopic ultrasound biopsy. Most patients with pancreatic cancer present with metastatic disease and have an expected survival of less than 12 months. Research has shown that at least 1 in 3 patients have carry a particular genomic feature that makes them a potential candidate for a life-prolonging targeted therapy. However, the genomic sequencing used to identify these patients is not part of routine care and is not funded by Medicare. A national program and model of care aimed at giving patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer the opportunity to have their cancer undergo these genetic tests is currently underway. Unfortunately, it excludes many patients who only have routine endoscopic biopsy tissue available, as this tissue is often inadequate for comprehensive genetic testing. This new nationwide collaborative project aims to remedy this deficiency and offer genetic profiling to virtually all patients with pancreatic cancer, by incorporating the use of fresh frozen endoscopic biopsy material to optimise tissue quality. This clinical study will show the direct impact of the broad availability of these tests on changing the treatment of patients, with the potential to prolong their survival.