What is the project?
Mr Samir Pathak, a consultant pancreatic surgeon at Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust, is leading a project they are hoping to submit to the NIHR Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) funding scheme. This scheme funds health, public health and social care research covering a wide range of health service challenges in England.
Limited metastatic spread – known as oligometastatic disease (O-PDAC) – is a distinct diagnosis in other cancers (such as bowel) where treatments including surgery have improved survival. In pancreatic cancer, oligometastatic disease is poorly understood with no unified diagnostic criteria. Therefore, research in this area has been inconsistent and poorly conducted, precluding meaningful conclusions.
This study will:
- Review existing evidence to form a diagnostic criterion, agreed upon by an expert panel.
- Subsequently, the number of patients in the UK diagnosed with oligometastatic disease will be accurately estimated.
- Finally, treatment strategies, based on current practice and the best available evidence will be constructed seeking consensus of both patients with lived experience of pancreatic cancer and pancreatic cancer specialists.
How could the outcomes of this project make a difference to people with pancreatic cancer?
Fifty percent of patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer have metastatic disease. By constructing a definition of limited metastatic disease and assessing the acceptability of interventions to both patients and clinicians our project will provide a foundational evidence base.
This can be used to guide consistent research on interventions such as surgery or radiotherapy in these patients. This has the potential to increase change treatment strategies and hopefully, improve survival for these patients.
Join the project as a co-applicant
Samir and the team are looking for a representative with a lived experience of pancreatic cancer to be a co-applicant in an up coming submission for research funding. You will be able to provide unique feedback and guidance on the proposal and support the team in the design of the study to ensure that from the outset the proposal will be focussed on the patients that it aims to benefit.
What does the opportunity entail?
It is estimated that commitment will require four 30-minute video calls to discuss study design offering insight from patient perspective alongside a review of the final submission.
Individuals will be reimbursed for their time.
No scientific background or prior experience is needed to take part in this opportunity.
Next steps
If you would like to join the project or would simply like some further information on this opportunity, please contact Samir (Samir.pathak1@nhs.net) quoting the involvement reference ‘RIN O-PDAC Study’.
