Chemotherapy for cancer that has advanced beyond surgical cureThe most advanced technologies and treatments

​David C. Koch Regional Perfusion Cancer Therapy Center

Giving Hope to People with Cancers Advanced Beyond Surgical Removal

If you have advanced cancer and surgery isn’t an option, UPMC CancerCenter's David C. Koch Regional Perfusion Cancer Therapy Center offers treatments that may extend and improve your quality of life.

We provide chemotherapy for people who have limited treatment options because their cancers have advanced beyond surgical removal, yet still are confined to an organ or region of the body.

Regional Perfusion Versus Traditional Chemotherapy

Traditional chemotherapy Regional perfusion
How it’s delivered Delivers medication into the bloodstream intravenously (IV), or by mouth or rectum. Delivers high concentrations of chemotherapy directly to the site of the cancer, rather than through the bloodstream.
How it works Medication flows through the bloodstream and kills the cancer cells — but often kills healthy cells too — and can cause a variety of side effects.

Chemotherapy circulates through an organ or within a certain region, bathing the cancer in the medication to treat it.

Benefits of Regional Perfusion Therapy:

  • Improved drug absorption at cancer site
  • Minimal exposure to surrounding tissues
  • No hair loss or nausea, as commonly associated with chemotherapy

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