Feasibility of Biodynamic Imaging for Predicting Therapeutic Effect in Metastatic Adenocarcinoma of the Pancreas

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Ability to understand and willingness to sign an informed consent and authorization for release of health information for research
2. ≥ 18 years old at time of consent
3. Patients with a diagnosis of metastatic pancreatic cancer (mPC) who have not received prior combination chemotherapy. Exception: prior adjuvant chemoradiation with fluorouracil or gemcitabine is allowed.
4. Patients considered for routine care treatment with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel (allowed to receive other experimental therapy with gem/nab backbone if participating in another clinical trial)
5. Measurable disease by RECIST v1.1 criteria
6. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) of 0-1
7. Willingness to undergo transcutaneous core needle biopsy of metastatic tumor for research purposes
8. Women are eligible to participate if they are of non-childbearing potential or have documentation of a negative pregnancy test (serum or urine β-hCG) within 1 week of the start of protocol treatment.
9. Women and men of childbearing potential must agree to use adequate, highly effective contraceptive measures during protocol treatment
10. Laboratory values: Platelets ≥ 100 K/mm3 international normalized ratio (INR) \< 1.2, Partial thromboplastin time (PTT) in normal range, Cr \< 2.0, Total bilirubin \< 2 times upper limit normal (ULN), transaminases \< 5 times ULN

Exclusion Criteria:

1. History of abnormal bleeding with minor procedures or documented platelet aggregation disorder such as VonWillebrand disease
2. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding