Immunologic Studies of Tumors of the Pancreas

This study will examine pancreatic tumor tissue and immune cells from patients with a pancreatic tumor to look for markers on these cells that may be useful in developing new treatments for the disease.

Patients 16 years of age and older with any evidence of a primary pancreatic tumor that can be surgically removed may be eligible for this study. Types of pancreatic tumors included in this trial are pancreatic cancer, adenosquamous carcinoma, anaplastic carcinoma, IPMN (intraductal pancreatic mucinous neoplasm), acinar cell carcinoma, pancreaticoblastoma, mucinous cystic neoplasms, serous cystic neoplasms, solid-pseudopapillary cystic neoplasms, squamous cell carcinoma, Vater (ampullary tumors) duodenal adenoma or cancer and common bile duct tumors (cholangiocarcinoma.) The specific type of tumor does not have to be determined before the operation. Candidates are screened with a medical history and physical examination, computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis, blood and urine tests, and an electrocardiogram. Patients older than 50 years of age and patients with a history of cardiovascular disease may also have a thallium cardiac stress test.

Participants undergo standard treatment for their pancreatic tumor, including surgery to remove the tumor. Before, during, and after the operation, several blood samples are drawn as part of routine patient care and for research tests. During the surgery, a small piece of tumor tissue is taken for examination under the microscope and to grow cells in the laboratory for tumor and immune cell studies. Some patients may undergo leukapheresis to collect large numbers of white blood cells for study. For this procedure, blood is collected through a needle in an arm vein and flows through a catheter (plastic tube) into a machine that separates it into its components by centrifugation (spinning). The white cells are extracted and the rest of the blood (plasma, red cells, and platelets) is returned through another needle in the other arm.

Patients who require additional treatment, such as chemotherapy or radiation, may be treated at NIH on another protocol or referred for appropriate treatment elsewhere.