PHOENIX (March 5, 2025) – Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center at Banner Boswell Medical Center is helping cancer patients keep tumors in the liver at bay with a novel treatment. Called Hepatic Arterial Infusion (HAI) therapy, this newer cancer treatment uses a pump to deliver a higher dose of chemotherapy directly into the tumors found in the liver.
This treatment option was monumental in Phoenix resident Shannon Jacobo’s journey with colorectal cancer. The 45-year-old was diagnosed with stage II colorectal cancer in June 2022. Given her younger age, Jacobo was shocked at the diagnosis.
“I started noticing symptoms about a year before [my diagnosis],” said Jacobo. “I wasn’t digesting well, there sometimes was blood in my stool, but I thought it was all just due to stress. Looking back, I’m so glad I forced myself to get it checked out.”
Jacobo was in surgery within a month of her diagnosis to remove a foot of her colon. At that point, she thought her journey with cancer was over. But when a PET scan was administered to confirm all the cancer was removed, doctors found a few cancerous spots in her liver. Jacobo was now diagnosed with stage IV colorectal cancer.
“Since [that stage IV diagnosis], I had to undergo regular chemotherapy that was starting to debilitate my body and my spirit,” said Jacobo. “I also had two surgeries on my liver that failed to fully remove the cancer. I needed to find another way to overcome this.”
That’s when Jacobo was connected with Dr. Rajesh Ramanathan with Banner MD Anderson, who performs the innovative HAI therapy. According to Dr. Ramanathan, Banner MD Anderson is the only healthcare system in the Southwest that offers HAI treatment to cancer patients.
“Because we’re delivering the chemotherapy directly into one’s cancerous cells, we can limit how much of the drug is reaching the healthy parts of one’s body,” said Dr. Ramanathan. “It gives patients a better quality of life they might not otherwise have with just regular chemotherapy.”
HAI was exactly what Jacobo needed. She had her procedure on Oct. 22, 2024, the day of her daughter’s 18th birthday. Since then, recovery has gone smoothly and Jacobo said she is feeling better than she ever has along this cancer journey.
“I feel like I have more strength, physically, now than I did when I was just undergoing regular chemotherapy,” Jacobo said. “And now, I could be completely cancer-free within six months. Dr. Ramanathan was the light I needed.”
The HAI procedure is also offered at Banner MD Anderson at Banner Gateway Medical Center.
“HAI truly helps make our patients’ lives easier on their cancer journey. I’m proud we are able to offer it at Banner MD Anderson,” added Dr. Ramanathan.
To learn more about HAI, please click on this link.
Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center delivers cancer care to patients through the partnership of Banner Health and MD Anderson Cancer Center. Banner MD Anderson offers focused disease-specific expertise in the medical, radiation and surgical management of the cancer patient; an evidence-based, multidisciplinary approach to patient care; access to clinical trials and new investigative therapies; state-of-the-art technology for the diagnosis, staging and treatment of all types of cancer; oncology expertise in supportive care services. For more information, visit www.BannerMDAnderson.com.
Banner Boswell Medical Center in Sun City, Ariz., specializes in heart care, cancer care, orthopedic surgery, physical rehabilitation, stroke care, skilled nursing and emergency care. Banner Boswell is part of Banner Health, a nonprofit health care system with 33 hospitals in six states. Supporting Banner Boswell’s mission of excellent patient care is Sun Health Foundation, which encourages charitable giving to enhance health care delivery. For more information, visit bannerhealth.com/boswell.
Banner Health is one of the largest, secular nonprofit health care systems in the country. In addition to 33 hospitals, Banner also operates an academic medicine division, Banner – University Medicine, and Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, a partnership with one of the world’s leading cancer programs, MD Anderson Cancer Center. Banner’s array of services includes a health insurance division, employed physician groups, outpatient surgery centers, urgent care locations, home care and hospice services, retail pharmacies, stand-alone imaging centers, physical therapy and rehabilitation, behavioral health services, a research division and a nursing registry. To make health care easier, 100% of Banner-employed doctors are available for virtual visits and patients may also reserve spots at Banner Urgent Care locations and can book appointments online with many Banner-employed doctors. Headquartered in Arizona, Banner Health also has locations in California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada and Wyoming. For more information, visit bannerhealth.com.
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