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New pancreatic cancer drug finally reaches Charleston
Post and Courier • • health
Key Points:
- A new experimental drug, daraxonrasib, has shown promising Phase 3 clinical trial results by doubling median survival in pancreatic cancer patients from 6.6 to 13.2 months, generating significant excitement in the oncology community.
- Daraxonrasib targets the KRAS gene mutation, which drives over 90% of pancreatic cancers and has previously resisted targeted therapies, marking a major breakthrough in treatment options.
- Pancreatic cancer remains highly lethal, with only a 13% five-year survival rate and limited early detection, making this drug's potential to improve outcomes especially important.
- The drug is not yet FDA-approved but is available through an expanded access program, with patients like Terri Truere being among the first to receive it in South Carolina.
- While daraxonrasib shows promise, it does have significant side effects, and ongoing research aims to refine and improve treatment effectiveness and explore its use in conjunction with surgery or as a preventative measure post-surgery.
