Metabolic Response to an Individualized Multimodal Treatment Strategy in Advanced Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma: A Case Report

Background: Metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma carries a dismal prognosis, and treatment options after progression on standard chemotherapy remain limited. We report a metabolic response in a patient with drug-resistant disease treated with a combined multimodal regimen that paired dose-reduced (“activated”) multi-agent chemotherapy with targeted agents and metabolic/microenvironmental support, set against an unusually long overall survival. Case Presentation: A 46-year-old man was diagnosed with inoperable, locally advanced/stage IV pancreatic adenocarcinoma in June 2023 and maintained disease control for approximately 2.5 years on a combined multimodal regimen, termed here metabolically controlled oncologic therapy (MCOT): dose-reduced chemotherapy given with regional hyperthermia, hyperbaric oxygen, and a carbohydrate-restricted diet. In February 2026 he developed local recurrence and diffuse liver metastases, and by May 2026 had deteriorated rapidly, with 18F-FDG PET/CT showing a peak SUVmax of 18.2 and CA 19-9 of 2788 U/mL. His regimen was intensified to a low-dose, multi-agent “activated” chemotherapy protocol combined with lenvatinib, everolimus, hyperthermia, and hyperbaric oxygen. Clinical Findings and Outcomes: One month later, his performance status had recovered from ECOG PS 2 to PS 0, CA 19-9 was 31 U/mL, and follow-up PET/CT showed a 63.7% decrease in SUVmax (from 18.2 to 6.6). Treatment-related adverse events included Grade 1 nausea, Grade 1 vomiting, and thrombocytopenia; no Grade 2 or higher non-hematological toxicity was observed. Conclusions: In selected patients who are considered to have exhausted standard options, a combined multimodal regimen pairing dose-reduced chemotherapy with metabolic and microenvironmental support may produce a well-tolerated metabolic response. As a single, uncontrolled observation, these findings cannot establish causality and require confirmation in prospective, controlled studies.