A new experimental pill, daraxonrasib, significantly extended survival for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, offering new hope in treating one of the deadliest cancers.
Researchers said on Sunday that a new experimental medication might be a game-changer for the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer.
According to research presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the medication daraxonrasib nearly doubled survival time in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer whose disease had stopped responding to prior treatments.
The median survival time for patients on the medication was 13.2 months, compared with 6.7 months for those on conventional chemotherapy. Additionally, the medication improved quality of life and caused fewer severe side effects, according to researchers.
Dr. Zev Wainberg of the University of California, Los Angeles, who helped lead the study, stated that "it is a huge step forward, even though it is not curing the cancer."
About 500 patients participated in the experiment, which compared the medication with chemotherapy after previous treatments failed. Many patients taking the pill remained on therapy longer, reporting reduced pain and tumor shrinkage.
Daraxonrasib targets mutations in the KRAS gene, which is a major cause of pancreatic cancer and is present in over 90% of cases. Scientists frequently refer to the mutation as "undruggable" because it has long been considered difficult to treat.
Dr. Andrew Coveler of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, who was not involved in the study, stated, "This thing works drastically differently."
The medication may establish "a new standard of care" for patients with metastatic disease that has already been treated, according to Dr. Brian Wolpin of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Side effects included rash and mouth sores, though researchers said most patients tolerated the medication better than traditional chemotherapy.
Revolution Medicines, the company that created the medication, provided funding for the study. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to expedite its review and has already allowed expanded access for some patients.
According to the American Cancer Society, pancreatic cancer has a five-year survival rate of roughly 13%, making it one of the worst types of the disease. It is often diagnosed at a late stage, making treatment difficult.
Experts speculate that as more medications are developed to target similar genetic abnormalities, the results may indicate greater advances.
According to Dr. Andrew Coveler, "this study will change the treatment of pancreatic cancer."
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