The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in February approved the first wearable device for treating locally advanced pancreatic cancer in combination with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel chemotherapy. The Optune Pax by Novocure delivers alternating electrical fields to the abdomen to disrupt cancer cell division. Tumor-treating field devices developed by Novocure have been previously approved in the United States for glioblastoma, mesothelioma and non-small cell lung cancer.

The Optune Pax treatment kit comprises an electric field generator and a set of transducer arrays worn on the body. Potential device-related adverse effects include skin inflammation and allergic reactions.