ORLANDO, Fla. — A new treatment now available at AdventHealth Orlando could offer hope to patients battling pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest forms of cancer in the United States.
Often referred to as a “silent killer,” pancreatic cancer is notoriously difficult to detect in its early stages.
According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 67,530 Americans will be diagnosed with the disease this year, and more than 52,740 are expected to die from it.
Because symptoms often do not appear until the cancer has advanced, many patients face limited treatment options and poor survival rates.
Physicians at AdventHealth Orlando are now using a new approach designed to deliver chemotherapy directly to tumors while limiting its impact on the rest of the body.
The treatment uses RenovoCath, an FDA-cleared medical technology that guides chemotherapy through an artery leading to the tumor, allowing doctors to target cancer cells more precisely.
Traditional chemotherapy circulates throughout the body, often causing debilitating side effects such as severe fatigue, nausea and weakened immunity.
By delivering treatment closer to the tumor site, doctors hope to improve outcomes while reducing some of the physical toll patients commonly experience during treatment.
“This approach is focused on getting more treatment to where it’s needed most while minimizing exposure to healthy tissues,” AdventHealth officials said.
Dr. Ravi Shridhar, a specialist involved in the treatment program, says pancreatic cancer remains one of the most challenging cancers to treat because it is frequently diagnosed at an advanced stage.
The targeted therapy aims to address that challenge by increasing the concentration of chemotherapy reaching the tumor while potentially improving patients’ quality of life.
AdventHealth leaders say the technology represents a significant advancement in the fight against pancreatic cancer and could provide new options for patients who may have limited treatment alternatives.
The treatment comes as health organizations nationwide observe Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month in November, a time dedicated to raising awareness about the disease, promoting early detection and highlighting advances in care.
Medical experts hope innovations such as targeted chemotherapy delivery could help improve survival rates and offer new hope to patients facing one of the nation’s most aggressive cancers.
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