TAMP uses a unique double-balloon catheter to isolate an arterial segment. This pressure-mediated delivery forces chemotherapy across the vessel wall directly into the tumor, overcoming the washout effect that caused previous intra-arterial therapies to fail.
Clinical data revealed a surprising synergy: patients receiving TAMP after chemoradiation had a 60% two-year survival rate. The theory is that radiation remodels the tumor's microvasculature, reducing drug washout and effectively 'priming' the tumor for this regional therapy.
Unlike systemic treatments, which rarely cause pancreatic tumors to shrink on scans, TAMP is demonstrating meaningful radiographic responses. This includes resolving major vessel narrowing, suggesting a more potent local effect and hinting at its potential for converting patients to resectability.
TAMP is delivered once every two weeks, but crucially, patients generally do not receive other treatments concurrently. This regimen provides significant breaks from therapy, helping to preserve pre-procedural quality of life—a major advantage over the continuous burden of systemic chemotherapy.