Early Data Demonstrate Ablation May Alleviate Pain From Pancreatic Cancer

In the first 15 patients, radiofrequency ablation was shown to reduce pain scores in most patients with pancreatic cancer.

Initial findings from a proof-of-concept trial demonstrated that transvascular energy to ablate relevant nerves causing pain in patients with pancreatic cancer may be able to mitigate it without the use of opioids, according to a press release from Autonomix Medical.

In particular, 11 out of the 14 patients (79%) with pancreatic cancer treated with transvascular energy to destroy nerves potentially causing pain responded to the treatment, according to the release. On the Visual Analog Scale, which rates pain between 0 (no pain) and 10 (worst pain imaginable), there an average reduction from 7.82 to 2.86 at seven days after the procedure, equating to an average reduction of 4.96 points. This represented a mean improvement of 66% in overall health status in patients seven days after the procedure.

“The significant reduction in pain and improvement in quality of life demonstrated in the study to date are incredibly encouraging,” Brad Hauser, CEO of Autonomix, said in the release. “These data provide a strong indication that our technology has the potential to revolutionize the treatment paradigm for pancreatic cancer pain.”

Researchers also assessed Visual Analog Scale scores in patients regardless of whether they responded to the treatment or not. In all patients in the study, the average reduction in the Visual Analog Scale pain score was 3.64 points, or 48%, when comparing scores before and after the procedure.

Through the seven days after the procedure, patients also experienced a decrease in the demand for opioids, and no patients who responded to treatment needed a dose increase. The release also noted that no patients in the study who responded to treatment needed opioids after their 24-hour follow-up visit after the procedure.

“Pain has a significant impact on the lives of patients with pancreatic cancer,” Dr. Robert Schwartz, chief medical officer of Autonomix, said in the release. “Available data suggests that over 80% of pancreatic cancer patients report moderate to severe pain associated with their disease. Opioids are the mainstay of treatment for these patients, and often they are not enough to prevent trips to the ER for breakthrough pain episodes and interruptions in dosing of their underlying cancer treatment. Our data to date suggest we can dramatically reduce pain in these patients, eliminate opioid use and improve the quality of life for these patients in a rapid and meaningful manner.”

In this study, researchers enrolled patients with severe abdominal pain from unresectable pancreatic cancer whose life expectancy is three months or fewer. The platform assessed in this study uses a catheter-based antenna to identify target nerves that may be causing pain in patients with pancreatic cancer, according to the release. Once detected, radiofrequency ablation kills the nerves as a tactic for pain reduction.

“Current approaches, primarily relying on opioids or invasive ethanol injections, can provide only limited relief and may lead to risky side effects,” as noted in the release.

The main goal of the study was to assess the success rate of ablation to relevant nerves as a method of pain relief for patients with pancreatic cancer experiencing pain. Other areas of interest for the researchers conducting this study include change in pain levels from before and after the procedure; device- and procedure-related side effects for up to four to six weeks after the procedure; and change in quality of life from before and after the procedure, according to the release. Patients who underwent a successful procedure in the trial were assessed at seven days, four to six weeks, and at three months after the procedure.

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