For too long, mesothelioma patients have faced limited treatment options. But a groundbreaking development at Stanford Medicine is offering new hope.
In March 2026, Dr. Leah Backhus, MD, MPH, performed the first PITAC (pressurized intrathoracic aerosol chemotherapy) procedure for mesothelioma in North America. Working alongside Dr. Byrne Lee from the Department of Surgery, Dr. Backhus successfully completed a second case just months later in May 2026.
Bridging the Treatment Gap
The challenge with mesothelioma lies in its unique growth pattern – it develops as a thin cellular lining that envelopes the lung, making surgical removal extremely difficult. Many patients aren’t candidates for radical surgery due to advanced disease or other medical conditions that increase their risk of complications.
PITAC offers something revolutionary: a middle ground between radical resection and simple palliative procedures. “PITAC is between these two extremes,” Dr. Backhus notes. “It treats the tumor, but not radically so, and it also provides palliation for symptoms. It’s less risky for patients, and we can offer it to more patients.”
“Spray Paint Chemo”: How PITAC Works
Dr. Backhus describes PITAC as “spray paint chemo” – a vivid analogy that captures how this treatment works. The procedure delivers a pressurized, fine mist of chemotherapy directly into the patient’s chest cavity, where it settles like a blanket on the lung’s lining and is absorbed by cancer cells.
Using a minimally invasive video-assisted thoracic surgery approach, Dr. Backhus creates just two small ports to deliver the treatment while using a tiny camera to monitor progress. This technique offers a slight advantage: it delivers high concentrations of chemotherapy to the targeted area while minimizing exposure to the rest of the body.
Real Results, Real Hope
The success of the first procedure exemplifies PITAC’s potential. The patient, who had previously undergone HIPEC (hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy) for peritoneal mesothelioma, developed pleural effusion – fluid buildup around her lungs.
Remarkably, the patient was able to return home just two days after the procedure, a stark contrast to the lengthy recovery periods associated with traditional radical surgeries.
More studies are needed to determine PITAC’s long-term effectiveness on the lungs, but this procedure brings hope to mesothelioma patients and their families as a potential other treatment option for pleural mesothelioma.
Works Cited: Nichols, L.U. (2026). “Stanford Performs First PITAC Procedure for Mesothelioma in North America”. https://med.stanford.edu/ctsurgery/about-the-department/news/2026/stanford-performs-first-pitac-procedure-for-mesothelioma-in-north-america.html
