A grandfather struggled with treatment for late-stage pancreatic cancer — until a clinical trial helped him beat the odds - CBS News

What the report says

CBS News reported on Hernando Salcedo, an 83-year-old grandfather treated at Miami Cancer Institute after he was diagnosed with Stage III pancreatic cancer following stomach swelling that began in May 2025. According to CBS, an MRI ordered after earlier testing did not identify the cause led to the diagnosis. The outlet noted that the American Cancer Society puts the five-year survival rate for Stage III pancreatic cancer at 15%, and that Salcedo was not considered eligible for surgery.

Salcedo began aggressive chemotherapy in July 2025, but CBS reported that he developed severe side effects, including difficulty eating, weight loss and a major decline in activity. His case was later reviewed by an expert panel at Miami Cancer Institute, where doctors considered him for a clinical trial involving RenovoRX’s RenovoCath system, a catheter-based method intended to deliver chemotherapy closer to a pancreatic tumor while limiting broader exposure in the body.

Dr. Ripal Gandhi, who treated Salcedo, told CBS the approach is meant to address a challenge in pancreatic cancer treatment: dense tumor tissue and limited blood supply can make it difficult for standard intravenous chemotherapy to reach the cancer effectively. CBS reported that Salcedo first underwent standard chemotherapy and radiation, then qualified for the catheter treatment after scans showed the disease had not progressed.

After receiving the catheter-delivered chemotherapy every other week for four months, Salcedo told CBS he felt far better than he had during traditional chemotherapy. Gandhi said Salcedo’s cancer had remained stable since mid-April and had not spread to other organs. CBS reported that final trial data for RenovoCath in Stage III pancreatic cancer is expected in late 2027, while Salcedo’s family described the added time and improved quality of life as deeply meaningful.