New treatment for pancreatic and liver cancers and sarcomas

Patients with pancreatic and liver cancers, or sarcomas, can now benefit from intraoperative radiation therapy, a leading-edge adjunct therapy that studies have shown reduces disease recurrence and improves outcomes for patients with these aggressive cancers. MedStar Georgetown University Hospital is the only hospital in the mid-Atlantic region providing this technology with the IntraOp® Mobetron®, the most advanced intraoperative radiation therapy technology, which is applied directly to the targeted area or tumor one time, during surgery, in just minutes, and sparing surrounding normal tissue. This combination of complex surgery and intraoperative radiation therapy provides another opportunity to cure more patients with locally advanced disease.

The goal of intraoperative radiation therapy is to reduce the risk of cancer regrowth after initial treatments or tumor resection and improve cancer control overall. Through collaboration by a multidisciplinary team of surgeons and radiation oncologists, candidates for intraoperative radiation therapy — patients who will undergo surgery for pancreatic and liver tumors or sarcomas — are first evaluated by MedStar Georgetown’s multidisciplinary team of pancreatic and liver cancer specialists to determine if intraoperative radiation therapy is right for them. The application of this therapy is a one-time procedure during surgery that is applied either directly to the tumor, or to the tumor bed and margins once the tumor is removed over just a matter of minutes. Patients often receive chemotherapy or other leading-edge treatments prior to and after this treatment.

Patients treated with intraoperative radiation therapy with the IntraOp Mobetron for pancreatic cancer and related tumors benefit from:

•             extension of survival and lower recurrence rates—researchers found that using intraoperative radiation therapy in pancreatic cancer patients undergoing surgery was associated with median survival of nearly one year more than those who did not receive this therapy but received standard therapy*

•             safer treatment with fewer side effects —intraoperative radiation therapy has been proven as safe, painless, and effective when combined with a pancreatic operation*

•             shorter treatment duration —intraoperative radiation therapy can be completed in a matter of minutes during surgery either directly to the tumor or to the surgical site once the tumor is removed*

 * Keane FK, Wo JY, Ferrone CR, et al. “Intraoperative Radiotherapy in the Era of Intensive Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy and Chemoradiotherapy for Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma [published online October 12, 2016]. Am J Clin Oncol. Am J Clin Oncol. doi: 10.1097/COC.0000000000000336

There are currently more than 57,000 new cases of pancreatic cancer diagnosed each year and it is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. Despite improvements and advancements in treatment options, pancreatic cancer accounts for 8% of all cancer deaths.

While surgery offers the best opportunity for a cure, a large percentage of pancreatic cancer patients have locally advanced disease which could eliminate the ability to completely remove the tumor. The combination of complex surgery and intraoperative radiation therapy provides another opportunity to cure more patients with locally advanced disease.