Targeted Ablation Therapy Improves Quality of Life in Pancreatic Cancer

Patients with severe pancreatic cancer pain experienced consistent improvements in symptoms, functionality, and global quality of life following Autonomix’s targeted ablation therapy, according to findings shared in a news release from Autonomix Medical, Inc.

Responding patients reported symptom improvements of approximately 14.5 points at weeks four through six and 26 points at three months, along with sustained functional gains and clinically meaningful increases in overall quality of life. Individuals with stage 4 disease, including those with distant or regional metastases, demonstrated particularly strong responses, with symptom, function, and global quality-of-life scores all surpassing the threshold for meaningful clinical improvement.

The company noted that these subgroup results complement previously reported reductions in pain intensity, suggesting that targeted nerve ablation may offer multidimensional benefits even in advanced disease. Patients in the earlier proof-of-concept phase experienced rapid pain relief beginning at 24 hours post-procedure, durable reductions through three months, and high rates of opioid discontinuation, which corresponded with improvements across quality-of-life domains. Autonomix stated that these insights will guide patient selection and clinical design for its upcoming U.S. multicenter trial planned for 2026.

“These subgroup findings provide deeper insight into how and why our ablation approach is improving outcomes across varied patient types,” said Brad Hauser, president and CEO of Autonomix. “The fact that patients with late-stage and metastatic disease achieved large, durable improvements in symptoms, function, and global quality of life underscores the broad applicability and real-world impact of our therapy. While this is a retrospective post-hoc analysis with modest patient numbers that will require prospective validation, it will inform our future work in our larger, multicenter U.S. clinical trials.”

Quality-of-Life Gains Observed Across Multiple Subgroups

The subgroup analysis evaluated symptom burden, functional status, and global quality of life at several timepoints following transvascular ablation: 24 hours, seven days, four to six weeks, and three months post-procedure. Functional scores increased by 8.15 and 25.56 points, and global quality-of-life measures improved by 8.33 and 18.06 points at those respective timepoints.

Patients with stage 4 pancreatic cancer, including those with distant or regional metastases, experienced a 32.48-point improvement in symptoms and an 11.85-point functional increase at weeks four to six. Gains remained durable at 3 months, and global quality-of-life scores improved by 19.44 points weeks four to six weeks and 25 points at 3 months. All improvements exceeded clinically meaningful thresholds.

Pain Relief, Opioid Discontinuation and Safety Outcomes

The subgroup analysis supported prior findings from the proof-of-concept study demonstrating rapid and sustained pain reduction. Notable outcomes previously reported included statistically significant pain relief within 24 hours and consistent benefits at 7 days, four to six weeks, and three months. Responding patients saw mean VAS pain reductions of 53.3%, 59.2% and 65.6% at those respective intervals.

Opioid discontinuation mirrored these gains. All responding patients stopped opioid use by seven days, 73% remained opioid-free at weeks four to six, and all responding patients were opioid-free at three months. Patients also reported improved quality of life during end-stage disease, and the procedure demonstrated a strong safety profile throughout the observation period.

Study Design, Objectives and Next Steps for Autonomix

The PoC 1 study enrolled 20 patients with severe abdominal pain from unresectable pancreatic cancer and a minimum life expectancy of three months. The primary goal was to evaluate the success rate of ablating nerves associated with cancer-related pain using a transvascular RF ablation approach. Secondary objectives included assessing procedure-related adverse events, changes in pain intensity, and changes in quality of life across defined timepoints. All patients with a successful procedure were assessed at 7 days, four to six weeks, and three months.

Autonomix has since launched an updated design to broaden the therapy’s potential reach by exploring applications in additional visceral cancers that transmit pain through the celiac plexus, as well as earlier-stage pancreatic cancers with moderate to severe pain. This phase will focus on interventional cancer pain management for pancreatic, gallbladder, liver and bile duct cancers, with opportunities for future expansion into other clinical areas supported by emerging preclinical data.

The company expects insights from the subgroup analysis to inform its upcoming multicenter U.S. clinical trial planned to begin in 2026.

Reference

1. “Autonomix Medical, Inc. Reports Positive Subgroup Results Demonstrating Sustained Improvements in Quality of Life from Post Hoc Analysis of Pancreatic Cancer PoC Study,” by Autonomix Medical, Inc. News release; Nov. 17, 2025.

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