THE DONOWAY CENTER NEW HOPE FOR PANCREATIC CANCER PATIENTS Patients diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer have few treatment options. However, a new procedure called Irreversible Electroporation or IRE for short has changed that for many patients who are seeing a doubling and tripling of their life expectancies. Dr. Robert Donoway, who has one of the largest International experiences for performing this procedure on the pancreas and liver is a Hollywood based, Sloan Kettering trained Pancreatic Surgical Oncologist, and former medical director of two of the local cancer programs remains among a very small handful of Pancreatic surgeons who perform the procedure which is done in the operating room as an outpatient.
Robert B. Donoway, M.D., F.A.C.S., F.S.S.O. Diplomate American Board of Surgery Diplomate, Society of Surgical Oncology Former Medical Director Memorial Cancer Center Medical Director, Atlas Oncology: Institute for Pancreatic Cancer IRE/NanoKnife Ablation
During the procedure, Dr. Donoway places fine needle probes under direct ultrasound guidance into and around the pancreatic tumor while carefully avoiding critical structures. High voltage current up to 3000 volts is then delivered in 90-microsecond pulses synchronized with the patient’s heart rhythm to avoid any cardiac problems. The pulses destroy the cancer cell membranes which then causes the tumor to die and be absorbed by the body. The average procedure lasts approximately 1-2 hours and the patients may be discharged the following day. A brief recovery means the patient can start chemotherapy and radiation that much sooner. Dr. Donoway is participating in several clinical studies identifying the best chemotherapy and immunotherapies to be used along with IRE. Dr. Donoway states, “The results so far have been very encouraging and we have begun using it for other select cancers. The longest survivors are now out over 5 years and without evidence of cancer recurrence. In the past, without IRE they would have been likely to have only lived a year and so this technique opens the whole new avenue for treating those eligible patients in a more targeted fashion.”
For more information about Dr. Donoway and the Pancreatic-IRE/NanoKnife Program and clinical trials call 305-682-1995 and visit www.AtlasOncology.com
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