Clinical Trials Offer Hope for Patients
- Retired TV judge Frank Caprio, 87, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year. After undergoing seven months of treatment, doctors found no evidence of disease, meaning he reached remission – a remarkable feat for a hard-to-treat cancer like pancreatic.
- A vaccine (autogene cevumeran) used during an ongoing clinical trial involving pancreatic cancer patients is showing promise as it is used in combination with mFOLFIRINOX (atezolinumab and chemotherapy treatment) to help treat the cancer and delay recurrence.
- Pancreatic cancer is a type of cancer that forms in the pancreas. It is more challenging to treat because symptoms usually don’t present themselves until the cancer has spread or metastasized. Symptoms may include weight gain, back pain, and jaundice.
- Clinical trials help doctors better understand cancer and discover more effective treatment methods. They also give patients a chance to try a treatment before it’s approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which can potentially be life-changing.
- Despite the great benefits of clinical trials, they also come with risks (like potential side effects that are not fully understood yet). People interested in participating in clinical trials must first talk with their doctor to see if they would be a good fit.
- To help find a clinical trial that’s right for you, try our easy-to-use Clinical Trial Finder.
Retired TV judge Frank Caprio, 87, continues to show vigor a year after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. For patients like him, ongoing cancer research is offering added hope as a vaccine undergoing clinical trials shows promise.
Researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKC) have been testing the efficacy of a personalized vaccine on pancreatic cancer patients during the clinical trial (NCT05968326).
Read MoreMSKC says that, so far, early clinical trials have shown that patients using the vaccine have had an immune response associated with delayed cancer recurrence based on three-year follow-up data.
Clinical trials help doctors better understand cancer and discover more effective treatment methods. They also give patients a chance to try a treatment before it’s approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which can potentially be life-changing.
Despite the great benefits of clinical trials, they also come with risks (like potential side effects that are not fully understood yet). People interested in participating in clinical trials must first talk with their doctor to see if they would be a good fit.
Clinical trials are expensive and often require extensive funding. MSKC is raising donations to help fund the vaccine used during the clinical trial, offering pancreatic cancer patients hope.
Expert Resources on Clinical Trials
Coping With a Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis
Pancreatic cancer is a type of cancer that forms in the pancreas. It is more challenging to treat because symptoms usually don’t present themselves until the cancer has spread or metastasized. Symptoms may include weight gain, back pain, and jaundice.
Although pancreatic cancer often comes with a slim chance of survival due to difficulty detecting it when it is more treatable, Caprio remained positive going into his cancer journey.
Although pancreatic cancer survival rates have been improving, it’s still considered to be largely incurable. An exception to this is if the tumor is still small enough and localized enough to be operated on.
WATCH: Pancreatic cancer and early detection.
The National Cancer Institute identifies pancreatic cancer symptoms to include:
- Dark urine
- Pain in the abdomen
- Unexplained weight loss
- Light-colored stools
- Loss of appetite and fatigue
Treatment options for pancreatic cancer may include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy.
Growing Hope for Pancreatic Cancer Treatment
Some progress has been made for patients in this situation, including one advancement that involved PARP inhibitors.
RELATED: How Do PARP Inhibitors Work for Pancreatic Cancer?
PARP inhibitors prevent cancer cells damaged often during chemotherapy from naturally healing themselves and have shown significant promise in treating ovarian and breast cancer. However, a study presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting last year revealed that one of these PARP inhibitor drugs, olaparib (Lynparza), may also work for pancreatic cancer.
The drug extended the time that patients with advanced stages of pancreatic cancer who had BRCA gene mutations could live without the cancer worsening (a measurement doctors call “progression-free survival”). The drug was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Judge Caprio’s Cancer Journey
The nearly 88-year-old Caprio rose to fame with his “Caught in Providence” court program, where he litigated cases ranging from traffic and parking to more serious offenses in Providence, Rhode Island.
At the end of last year, the retired TV judge revealed he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
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Caprio managed to beat the odds by reaching remission after a seven-month pancreatic cancer journey. The “Caught in Providence” judge completed several rounds of radiation treatment to achieve his cancer milestone.
Caprio underwent six months of chemotherapy and five treatments of radiation.
“The treatment is a very trying experience,” Caprio told People Magazine.
“I rang the bell and am on my way to happy days!” Caprio said in an Instagram post celebrating the moment.
In a recent Instagram post, Caprio is seen shadowboxing and looking vigorous and vibrant while promoting pancreatic cancer awareness.
Questions for Your Doctor
If you are facing a pancreatic cancer diagnosis, you may have questions but are unsure how to get the answers you need. SurvivorNet suggests asking your doctor the following to kickstart your journey to more solid answers.
- What type of pancreatic cancer do I have?
- Has my cancer spread beyond my pancreas? If so, where has it spread, and what is the stage of the disease?
- What is my prognosis?
- What are my treatment options?
- What side effects should I expect after undergoing treatment?
- Will insurance cover my recommended treatment?
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
