NCT06849063

Assessment of the Prognosis of Pancreatic Cancer Patients Using 3D MRE

3D-MRE-Based Evaluation of Biomechanical Heterogeneity in Pancreatic Cancer and Its Clinical Prognosis

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 200 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Yu Shi · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 80 Years
• Healthy volunteers: —

Summary

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), representing 85-95% of pancreatic cancers, is a highly lethal malignancy with a dismal 5-year survival rate below 8%. Emerging evidence highlights the critical need for non-invasive imaging biomarkers to stratify prognosis and guide therapeutic strategies. Notably, the biomechanical properties of PDAC-associated extracellular matrix (ECM), characterized by extensive interstitial fibrosis, are intrinsically linked to tumorigenesis, progression, and metastatic dissemination. Three-dimensional magnetic resonance elastography (3D-MRE), as an advanced imaging modality, enables precise quantification of tissue shear stiffness in both normal pancreatic parenchyma and neoplastic lesions. Significantly, the biomechanical heterogeneity captured by MRE holds untapped potential to serve as a prognostic biomarker for PDAC. Despite its technical merits, no studies to date have systematically explored MRE-derived imaging signatures in predicting PDAC survival outcomes or therapeutic responses, underscoring a pivotal gap in translational oncology research.

Detailed description

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), constituting 85-95% of pancreatic cancers, ranks among the most lethal malignancies globally, with a dismal 5-year survival rate below 8%. Identifying robust prognostic or predictive biomarkers is critical for risk stratification and prospective therapeutic evaluation in clinical trials. The extracellular matrix (ECM) surrounding PDAC is characterized by extensive interstitial fibrosis, a pathological hallmark intrinsically linked to tumor initiation, progression, and metastatic dissemination. While the ECM exerts dual roles in modulating cancer biology through multifaceted mechanisms, compelling experimental evidence confirms that ECM stiffening in PDAC accelerates tumor aggressiveness and correlates significantly with reduced patient survival. Noninvasive quantification of tumor mechanical properties (e.g., stiffness) prior to treatment could provide critical insights into tumor biology, prognostic stratification, and personalized therapeutic decision-making. Advanced three-dimensional magnetic resonance elastography (3D-MRE) enables precise, noninvasive mapping of shear stiffness across both healthy pancreatic tissue and neoplastic lesions. Despite its technical promise, the translational potential of MRE-derived imaging biomarkers for predicting PDAC prognosis remains unexplored, with no systematic studies reported domestically or internationally to date.

Conditions

• Pancreatic Cancer

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DIAGNOSTIC_TEST	magnetic resonance imaging	all participants undergo novel MR sequences, including 3D MRE#DCE-MRI#IVIM-DWI#T1/T2 mapping.

Timeline

• Start date: 2020-10-09
• Primary completion: 2026-03-01
• Completion: 2026-12-01
• First posted: 2025-02-27
• Last updated: 2026-02-17

Locations

1 site across 1 country: China