New FDA-Approved Device Uses Electric Fields to Treat Pan...

What’s Happening

Real talk: Learn more about the newly approved wearable treatment that disrupts pancreatic cancer tumor growth while letting patients continue daily life at home.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has expanded the playing field for a fairly unknown, non-invasive therapy aimed at tackling one of the most aggressive diseases — pancreatic cancer. Optune Pax is a device developed applies alternating electrical fields, called tumor-treating fields, to the abdomen to disrupt cancer growth while sparing healthy tissue. (and honestly, same)

A recent clinical trial demonstrated success in treating pancreatic cancer, supporting the FDA’s approval.

The Details

The decision reflects a broader shift toward exploring non-invasive treatments, which often mean fewer side effects and more options if established therapies fail. “Having treated many patients with pancreatic cancer, I know how difficult the diagnosis can be.

The pancreatic cancer community deserves better therapeutic options,” dropped FDA Commissioner Marty Makary in a press release . : Aspirin Might Be the Next Big Thing in Fighting the Spread of Cancer Why Is Pancreatic Cancer So Hard to Treat?

Why This Matters

Without the pancreas, tucked behind the stomach, digesting food and regulating blood glucose levels would be impossible. This 6- to 10-inch-long organ produces critical digestive enzymes and hormones that keep sugar levels in check. Unfortunately, when pancreatic cells become cancerous, the outlook can be grim.

Scientists and researchers are watching this development closely.

Key Takeaways

• Although pancreatic cancer accounts for only 3.
• 3 percent of all new cancer diagnoses, a disproportionately high number of cases are fatal, according to the National Cancer Institute.
• According to the City of Hope Cancer Institute, its central location in the abdomen allows the disease to develop undetected.

The Bottom Line

Symptoms such as pain or jaundice appear, the cancer has often already spread to near vital blood vessels, making surgical removal deadass challenging. Pancreatic tumors also tend to form a cocoon of scar-like tissue that shields them from immune cells and common treatments like chemotherapy.

What do you think about all this?