Vermont Hospital First to Use New Pancreatic Cancer Tech

Patients with pancreatic cancer in Vermont now have access to a treatment that could give them more time with fewer side effects.

The University of Vermont Cancer Center became the first in the state to offer transarterial microperfusion, or TAMP, a revolutionary approach to fighting one of medicine's toughest challenges. Pancreatic cancer ranks as the third leading cause of cancer deaths, partly because tumors are so hard to reach with traditional treatments.

Standard chemotherapy travels through the entire body, attacking cancer cells but also causing devastating side effects that can make life unbearable. Many pancreatic tumors also lack the blood vessels needed to carry enough medicine to the cancer site, meaning the treatment that does reach them is often too weak to work.

TAMP changes the game by delivering drugs right where they're needed. Doctors insert a thin catheter through a small incision in the patient's leg, threading it through blood vessels until it reaches the artery feeding the tumor. Two tiny balloons on the device isolate that specific area, allowing physicians to bathe the cancer in high doses of chemotherapy without flooding the rest of the body.

The technology comes from California company RenovoRx, which focuses on reaching cancers that conventional treatments struggle to access. Their FDA-cleared delivery system transforms how doctors can target solid tumors while protecting patients from the full force of chemotherapy's harsh effects.

The Ripple Effect

Early clinical research and registry studies show patients tolerate this targeted approach much better than traditional chemotherapy. The real excitement comes from early signals suggesting people might live longer with better quality of life, keeping their energy and ability to spend meaningful time with loved ones.

The breakthrough matters beyond Vermont too. A clinical trial called TIGeR-PaC is now enrolling patients across the country with advanced pancreatic cancer that can't be removed surgically. Each patient treated adds to medical knowledge that could reshape cancer care everywhere.

For families facing a pancreatic cancer diagnosis, this innovation represents something precious: hope backed by science, and the possibility of more good days ahead.