Israeli researchers have developed a groundbreaking non-invasive radiation therapy that significantly reduces severe pain in pancreatic cancer patients, according to a statement released by the Israel Cancer Association on Tuesday. The innovative treatment offers new hope for improving the quality of life for those suffering from this aggressive disease.
Pancreatic cancer is notorious for causing intense pain due to the proximity of the pancreas to the celiac plexus, a major cluster of nerves. Tumors in the pancreas often press on or infiltrate this nerve bundle, leading to severe discomfort. Traditional treatments for managing this pain include medications that can have debilitating side effects or the injection of anesthetics directly into the celiac plexus in more resistant cases.
The newly developed treatment involves a one-time X-ray irradiation directed precisely at the celiac plexus rather than targeting the tumor itself. This non-invasive approach was tested in a clinical study conducted across eight hospitals in the United States, Canada, Poland, Portugal, and Israel, led by Israel’s Sheba Medical Center. The findings were published in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet Oncology.
Out of 90 participants diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, 48 patients, accounting for 53 percent, reported a significant decrease in pain levels and a notable improvement in their quality of life following the treatment. Importantly, side effects were minimal and non-serious, with patients experiencing only mild fatigue and nausea on the day of the procedure.
Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most lethal forms of cancer, with an average five-year survival rate of less than 10 percent. The disease is often detected at an advanced and inoperable stage in about 80 percent of cases, making effective pain management crucial for patient care.
The researchers noted that this new method could potentially be adapted to alleviate pain in patients with other types of cancer as well, opening doors for broader applications of this therapy in oncology.
Reference(s):
Non-invasive method to reduce pain in pancreatic cancer patients
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