Question: My husband has pancreatic cancer and his oncologist mentioned combination immunotherapy trials. What should we know?

Grading rubric:
description: The response should include that combination immunotherapy can refer to combining immunotherapies together.
description: The response should include that combination immunotherapy can refer to combining immunotherapy with chemotherapy.
description: The response should include that combination immunotherapy can refer to combining immunotherapy with targeted therapy.
description: The response should include that combination immunotherapy can refer to combining immunotherapy with other new agents.
description: The response should include the definition of immunotherapy per the NCI definition of cancer terms.
description: The response should include that the immune checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab is approved for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer whose tumors are MSI high.
description: The response should include that the immune checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab is approved for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer whose tumors are mismatch repair deficient.
description: The response should include that the immune checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab is approved for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer whose tumors have a high tumor mutational burden.
description: The response should include that other immunotherapies are investigational.
description: The response should include information for clinicaltrial.gov for current trials.
description: The response should recommend understanding what type of combination immunotherapy is being tested.
description: The response should recommend understanding the evidence behind the combination immunotherapy in the trial.
description: The response should recommend understanding the potential side effects of the combination immunotherapy in the trial.
description: The response should describe eligibility criteria for clinical trials, including the stage of disease.
description: The response should describe eligibility criteria for clinical trials, including the site of disease.
description: The response should describe eligibility criteria for clinical trials, including prior treatments.
description: The response should describe eligibility criteria for clinical trials, including required testing.
description: The response should mention that research trials explore whether a new medical strategy, treatment, or device is safe and effective for humans.
description: The response should mention that clinical trials are essential for optimizing current and future therapies for cancer.
description: The response should mention that trials are divided into phases (phase I - phase IV).
description: The response should explain the different phases of clinical trials.
description: The response should mention that current research on immunotherapy combinations for pancreatic cancer is focused on overcoming the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and enhancing antitumor immune responses.
description: The response should mention promising strategies include combining immunotherapy with chemotherapy, TME-modifying agents, and other immune stimulants.
description: The response should mention that neoadjuvant immunotherapy combinations are being tested to prime the immune system before surgery.
description: The response should mention that cancer vaccines are under investigation as an approach for pancreatic cancer.
description: The response should recommend that the user discuss this case with an oncologist.