Telemedicine is delivering hope to the homes of pancreatic cancer patients through a first-of-its-kind clinical trial.   The study focuses on a rare form of pancreatic cancer but could become a building block in the creation better treatment options for patients with multiple types of cancer.   “This is the first nationwide telemedicine therapeutic clinical trial for cancer,” says Sameek Roychowdhury, MD, PhD, a physician scientist at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James). “It’s a new way of thinking and providing access to clinical trials.”   The trial involves an innovative, targeted treatment for fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) gene mutations, which affect approximately 1.5% of pancreatic cancer patients. The treatment has already shown promise through earlier studies.   “Using a smart drug, we could turn the gene off and slow cancer growth and even make it shrink,” Roychowdhury says.   Roychowdhury shares more details about telemedicine for cancer patients on our Cancer-Free World Podcast. Watch on the video player above or YouTube, or listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.   National clinical trials for rare cancers can be particularly costly and challenging, so Roychowdhury and his team decided to take a new, telemedicine-based approach to expand access to the treatment.   “We happen to be experts on both the disease of pancreatic cancer and the class of drug involved in this trial,” he says. “That helped us launch the first nationwide telemedicine therapeutic clinical trial for cancer.”   After a lengthy regulatory and approval process that created a well-thought out and workable plan, the clinical trial began in May. Patients identified with pancreatic cancer and the FGFR gene will be able to remain at home and coordinate their treatment with their local oncologists and Roychowdhury and his team, who will work in tandem.   “I think we've disrupted not only the operations, but also the cost,” Roychowdhury says. “This can really open doors for targets in cancer types that are rare.”   Click here to learn more about pancreatic cancer, including risks, symptoms and treatment options at The Ohio State University.   Roychowdhury believes this trial will lead to others and make it more cost effective for pharmaceutical companies to create smart drugs for rare forms of cancer. He’s working to create a national alliance of oncologists to share ideas, best practices and create more  clinical trials.   “We're already working on developing these trials,” he says. “We want to educate others and learn from others at the same time.”   Click here to learn more about cancer clinical trials at the OSUCCC – James.