Hope for Pancreatic Cancer: Precision Radiation with MR-Guided Adaptive Therapy
As a physician and radiation oncologist, I specialize in treating pancreatic cancer, a disease often considered one of the most challenging. For patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer—meaning surgery isn’t an option—the prognosis can be incredibly grim. But with recent advances in MR-Guided Adaptive Radiation, we have seen new hope.
How This Advanced Technology Works: Imagine a Live, Personalized Treatment
Traditional radiation therapy is like aiming at a static target. But the human body is constantly moving, and organs like the pancreas can shift, especially with breathing and digestion. This makes treating pancreatic cancer particularly tricky, as the tumor is often nestled close to vital, sensitive organs like the stomach, intestines, and kidneys.
MR-Guided Adaptive Radiation is a revolutionary approach that combines two powerful technologies:
- MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) Guidance: Unlike older radiation machines that use X-rays (which don’t show soft tissues clearly), we now have a machine that integrates a real-time MRI scanner. This means I can see the tumor, and all the surrounding organs, in clear detail while the patient is on the treatment table. It’s like having a live video feed of the inside of your body.
- Adaptive Radiation: Because we can see everything in real-time, we don’t just deliver a pre-planned dose. Each day, before treatment begins, we can see if the tumor has shifted, or if nearby organs have moved. If they have, we can adapt the radiation plan on the spot, precisely shaping the radiation beams to hit only the tumor and spare healthy tissue. This is incredibly important for pancreatic cancer, where even a millimeter of difference can protect or harm critical structures.
This real-time visibility and daily adaptation allow for:
- Unprecedented Precision: We can deliver higher, more effective doses of radiation directly to the tumor, while significantly reducing exposure to surrounding healthy organs.
- Personalized Treatment: Every single treatment session is tailored to your body’s exact position on that specific day, accounting for natural movements and changes.
- Enhanced Safety: By minimizing radiation to healthy tissues, we can reduce side effects and improve your quality of life during and after treatment.
My Commitment: Years of Specialized Training, Life-Changing Results
Mastering this advanced technology and its application to complex cases like pancreatic cancer requires extensive, specialized training and years of dedicated practice. I have committed myself to honing this technique, understanding its nuances, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible for my pancreas cancer patients.
I am incredibly happy to share that, through this precise and personalized approach, a number of patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer that I have treated have now been cancer-free for over a year off of chemotherapy, living their lives as normal, without the need for surgery. These are truly remarkable outcomes that underscore the transformative potential of these new MR-guided adaptive radiation techniques when delivered with expert care.
Although our groups’ research goal is to develop novel and more effective cellular immune therapies, my clinical goal is to offer every pancreas cancer patient the most advanced, precise, and hopeful treatment options available, turning what was once a “death sentence” into a possible path toward long-term survival and improved quality of life.
For questions for our clinical team, send me an email, deselmc@wustl.edu. If it is a situation where we may offer an effective new treatment, I or someone on the team will get back to you.