PANCEP-1A Phase I/II Trial of Peri- and Postoperative Treatment With Histamine Dihydrochloride and Low-dose Interleukin-2 in Patients With Primary Resectable Pancreatic Cancer

A key aspect of the trial is that functions of anti-neoplastic T cells and natural killer (NK) cells, may be inhibited by immunosuppressive signals from myeloid cells, in particular reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by several subsets of myeloid cells. In cancer, such immunosuppressive cells are commonly denoted myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), which are immature monocytes and granulocytes that impede immune-mediated clearance of malignant cells by multiple mechanisms, including the formation of immunosuppressive ROS via myeloid cell NADPH oxidase (NOX2). The presence of MDSCs within or adjacent to tumor tissue is assumed to facilitate the growth and spread of tumors and may also dampen the efficacy of cancer immunotherapies. The underlying hypothesis for this clinical trial is the administration of HDC/IL-2 will reduce surgery-induced inflammation and reduce metastasis. A phase I/II open label, single-center study of the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of peri- and postoperative therapy with histamine dihydrochloride and low-dose interleukin-2 treatment in subjects with primary pancreatic cancer.To assess the frequency and extent of adverse events associated with low dose interleukin-2 and histamine dihydrochloride when used as perioperative therapy.To determine progression free survival and overall survival following surgery, and compare with matched historical controls from the Swedish Cancer Registry.