New Drug Could Double Survival Time for Pancreatic Cancer Patients

A new drug may be the most significant breakthrough in pancreatic cancer treatment in years, according to a study released this week. Researchers say daraxonrasib doubled how long patients survived compared to a second round of chemotherapy, offering real hope for a disease that often kills within months.

The study followed 500 patients who had already gone through chemotherapy. Those who received a second chemo drug lived, on average, about 6.7 months. Patients who got daraxonrasib instead lived more than 13 months. 

The drug works by targeting a gene called K-RAS, which acts like an on/off switch controlling how cells grow. In more than 90% of pancreatic cancers, that gene mutates and gets stuck in the "on" position, causing cancer cells to grow out of control. Daraxonrasib blocks that mutation, stopping it from doing more damage.

The drug's side effects are considered less toxic than chemotherapy, though they are not mild. Some patients develop mouth sores and a severe blistering rash. Former Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse, who participated in the clinical trial, described the experience on a podcast as "nuclear," saying it felt like "burning, bubbling."

The FDA has fast-tracked daraxonrasib for approval. Researchers are also studying whether it can fight other cancers. The same K-RAS mutation it targets is a key driver in lung, colon, ovarian, and endometrial cancers. Though patients and doctors are celebrating the results, researchers are careful to note that daraxonrasib is not a cure.