A new clinical trial has commenced at Peterborough City Hospital which could offer treatment for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

In the past, patients suffering from pancreatic cancer that has spread outside the pancreas have had little options left in regards to treatment methods. However the new HALO 301 trial could change all this and offer a new treatment option for the disease.

Patients will be tested to see if they have a high level of hyaluronan (HA), which is a substance that helps the pancreatic cancer tumour to grow. Patients with this high HA level will then be treated by combining two chemo therapies. One of the chemo therapies, until now, was not available in the UK and the other is a new treatment called PEGPH20.

PEGPH20 is an enzyme that breaks down HA and aims to slow the tumour growth, which will ultimately allow patients to live for longer. The HALO 301 trial is taking place around multiple locations across the UK.

Dr Karen McAdams says she is delighted to be involved in such innovative research as this particular disease area has previously been historically neglected in terms of research and development.

Ultimately the goal for this trial is to not only provide a new treatment option for patients but also help to improve survival rates and quality of life for many patients across the UK in the future.

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