Fondazione Policlinico Gemelli performs world-first inoperable pancreatic tumor treatment

Doctors at Fondazione Policlinico Gemelli in Italy have performed the world’s first treatment of an inoperable pancreatic tumor using a specialized radioactive biological glue. The procedure involved injecting YntraDose®, a product developed by the Italian startup BetaGlue Therapeutics, directly into a 63-year-old woman’s tumor.

The glue contains Yttrium-90 particles that emit beta radiation. This minimally invasive percutaneous therapy is designed to shrink tumors to a state where they may become operable. The one-hour procedure was performed under local anesthesia and minimal sedation, with no reported post-operative complications.

Follow-up PET-CT scans conducted 24 hours and seven days after the procedure confirmed that the radiopharmaceutical was correctly deposited within the pancreas without dispersion or off-target uptake. The treatment was carried out as part of an international clinical trial led by Professor Giampaolo Tortora and performed by Professor Roberto Iezzi. The trial continues to enroll patients, with further cases scheduled for October.