UNMC First in State to Offer New Device for Pancreatic Cancer

A revolutionary new treatment at the University of Nebraska Medical Center could help patients live longer without the toll of chemotherapy for one of the world’s deadliest cancers.

Pancreatic cancer is often called a “silent killer.” This year, 67,530 Americans will be diagnosed, and more than 52,740 will die, according to the American Cancer Society. Most patients are diagnosed late, often leaving them with months to live as they endure chemo that can be as punishing as the disease itself.

Now, UNMC is the first in Nebraska to offer a new approach that delivers chemo directly to the tumor rather than flooding the body with toxic drugs. Doctors use a first-of-its-kind, FDA-cleared device called RenovoCath to guide it through an artery to the tumor. The goal is to help patients live longer while reducing the debilitating side effects that take a toll on their quality of life.