New treatment for inoperable pancreatic cancer form offers hope. Here’s what Optune Pax does.
For the first time in 30 years, the Food and Drug Administration has approved a new treatment for an inoperable type of pancreatic cancer.
It’s a wearable at-home device that kills cancer cells.
The FDA granted expedited review for the device in 2024 because it could treat the life-threatening disease.
An unusual symptom saves a life
Mark Infranco, of Miller Place, is proof that advances in treating pancreatic cancer are saving lives. Infranco was diagnosed three years ago after he became unusually itchy – a strange, but real, symptom.
“The mass was the size of a golf ball, and it was on the head of the pancreas,” he said. “The itchiness was a blessing in disguise. It gave me an early warning signal something was wrong.”
The disease was caught early enough for robotic surgery to remove the tumor.
“All clean, no spread. Really, really amazing,” Infranco said.
New treatment offers hope
But for many patients, pancreatic cancer isn’t caught in time for surgery. Now, even for those with inoperable, locally advanced disease, there’s new hope.
Novocure
The FDA has approved Optune Pax, a wearable device that delivers electric fields that disrupt cancer cells. Dr. Aaron Sasson, director of the Pancreatic Cancer Center at Stony Brook Medicine, calls it a meaningful step for a disease with historically limited options.
“For cells that are not dividing rapidly, there is no effect on it. It only really effects those that are actively trying to make more copies of themselves – cancer,” Sasson said.
“Every advancement is good news”
Novocure
The device is already used for brain and lung cancer, and is worn up to 18 hours a day. In a clinical trial, patients lived about two months longer on average, and it significantly delayed pain. The device will be available to patients with inoperable advanced pancreatic cancer as the technology continues to be tested for other cancer types.
“If we can not only prolong life, but prolong quality of life, that’s fantastic,” Sasson said.
Arthur Caplan, a medical ethics professor at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, said patients may face more complex decisions, with no guarantees yet of insurance coverage for it.
“It is exciting to make any progress, but tough decisions because it’s baby steps. Little advance for a lot of money. It’s a hard call for the individual patient,” Caplan said.
Pancreatic cancer, which is just three percent of cancer cases, is disproportionately deadly because it is often detected late.
“Every advancement is good news,” Sasson said.
