Progress Made In Pancreatic Cancer Treatment
- Actor and playwright Eric Idle, now 83, says surviving pancreatic cancer has made every year since his 2019 diagnosis feel like “a reprieve,” underscoring how rare early detection and survival can be with this disease.
- Idle’s pancreatic cancer was discovered by chance during routine testing, allowing doctors to catch an early, operable tumor — a moment he describes as a profound “reprieve” since 2019.
- After robotic surgery successfully removed the intact, non‑spread tumor, Idle says hearing “the cancer is gone” moved him to tears, marking the moment he realized he would live.
- Daraxonrasib, a drug undergoing clinical trials, is showing promise for pancreatic cancers with KRAS mutations — a mutation found in about 90% of pancreatic cancer cases and historically very hard to treat because the KRAS protein is smooth and lacks the pockets most cancer medicines need to latch onto.
- In the Phase 3 RASolute 302 clinical trial, daraxonrasib more than doubled median overall survival (13.2 vs. 6.7 months), offering new hope for patients who previously had few effective treatment options.
- The drug has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yet, but oncologists are hopeful it will be sooner rather than later.
After surviving pancreatic cancer, a disease known for its low survival rates, he says every year since his 2019 diagnosis feels like borrowed time.
But new developments are shifting what’s possible.
A drug called daraxonrasib, now in clinical trials, is being hailed as potentially “game‑changing” for patients with Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS)‑mutated pancreatic cancer — a gene mutation present in roughly 90% of cases and historically considered nearly untreatable.
KRAS has long been a difficult target for treatment because its smooth structure lacks the pockets where most drugs typically bind to become effective.
“It’s a very smooth protein. It doesn’t have places for drugs to grab onto,” Dr. Nicholas Hornstein of Northwell’s Lenox Hill Hospital told SurvivorNet.
Daraxonrasib works differently. Acting as a kind of “molecular glue,” it binds the KRAS gene to another protein and locks it into an inactive state. This mechanism may allow it to work across multiple KRAS gene mutations, potentially benefiting a wider group of patients who may also carry the KRAS gene.
The Phase 3 RASolute 302 clinical trial tested daraxonrasib against standard chemotherapy in patients with previously treated metastatic pancreatic cancer, and the results stunned experts.
The median overall survival more than doubled, from 6.7 months to 13.2 months.
The results from the clinical trial are considered “unprecedented” according to Dr. Anna Berkenblit, MMSc, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer at The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN).
For clinicians, the implications are significant.
“If I have an 81‑year‑old who doesn’t look like a candidate for chemotherapy, now I have an option that isn’t chemo,” Dr. Hornstein said.
As Idle reflects on his own survival, the field of pancreatic cancer, which has long been defined by limited options, is finally seeing breakthroughs that offer real hope.
I’ve Had a Reprieve
“I feel that since 2019, I’ve had a reprieve,” Eric Idle said, reflecting on the unexpected turn his life took after his pancreatic cancer diagnosis.
Idle’s cancer was discovered almost by accident. He had accompanied a friend for routine tests — a proactive effort to catch any health issues early — when a small irregularity in his own bloodwork prompted further investigation.
On a hunch, his doctor asked the imaging team to inject an isotope so they could take a closer look at Idle’s pancreas.
In an essay for “Time Magazine”, Idle described the moment the scan revealed the truth.
“He and the MRI technician gaze at the ghost of a tumor sitting in the middle of my pancreas. It is intact. It is unattached. But it is undeniably, most probably, the C thing.”
Fortunately, the tumor was caught early, dramatically improving his chances of successful treatment.
Sharing the diagnosis with his family brought tears and fear, although Idle tried to soften the blow by jokingly nicknaming the tumor “Kenny.” But he moved quickly to get “Kenny” removed.
Idle underwent robotic surgery, and his surgeon was able to fully remove the tumor. Even more encouraging: it had not spread.
“The cancer is gone,” Idle recalls being told after the procedure while recovering.
“They could find no further trace in my body. I had been a dead man walking. I am going to live. Only then do I cry,” Idle said.
Expert Resources for Pancreatic Cancer Patients
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Coping with a Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis
“Around eighty percent of pancreatic cancer patients already have advanced disease by the time they’re diagnosed, severely limiting treatment options,” explains Dr. Anirban Maitra, Co-Leader of the Pancreatic Cancer Moon Shot at MD Anderson Cancer Center.
“Just twenty percent of patients have their cancer caught early enough to make them a candidate for surgery, the only way pancreatic cancer can be cured.”
WATCH: What is a PARP Inhibitor?
For those with heightened risk, early testing offers a crucial window of opportunity. PubMed-published research highlights the role of genetic testing in identifying those with increased susceptibility. Individuals with a close family history of pancreatic cancer or an inherited genetic cancer syndrome fall into the high-risk category and should consult their doctors about screening options.
High-risk patients may benefit from advanced screening methods such as endoscopic ultrasound or MRI scans—tools that can detect abnormalities before symptoms arise.
According to the National Cancer Institute, pancreatic cancer risk factors fall into two broad categories: those we inherit and those we can influence. Key risk factors include:
- Family history
- Inherited genetic syndromes
- Tobacco use
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Chronic pancreatitis
More Promising Progress in Pancreatic Cancer Treatment: PARP Inhibitors Show Potential
Some patients battling advanced pancreatic cancer have found added hope, thanks to encouraging research around PARP inhibitors—a class of targeted drugs that prevent damaged cancer cells from repairing themselves. Proven initially effective in treating ovarian and breast cancers, PARP inhibitors are now showing promise for pancreatic cancer as well.
RELATED: How Do PARP Inhibitors Work for Pancreatic Cancer?
Researchers previously spotlighted olaparib (Lynparza), a PARP inhibitor that helped extend progression-free survival in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer linked to BRCA gene mutations. This means patients lived longer without their disease worsening—a milestone that led to the drug’s approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
“We are making advancements in pancreatic cancer over the last five to ten years; however, the advancements have come out slowly,” Dr. Ocean said.
“This is because, unfortunately, many drugs that have been tried when added to chemotherapy regimens just haven’t made a significant impact in improving survival for these patients.”
She added, “So we need to find more drugs that will show more efficacy with this disease.”
Questions to Ask Your Doctor
If you are facing a pancreatic cancer diagnosis, you may have questions but are unsure how to get the answers you need. SurvivorNet suggests asking your doctor the following to kickstart your journey to more solid answers.
- What type of pancreatic cancer do I have?
- Has my cancer spread beyond my pancreas?
- If so, where has it spread, and what is the stage of the disease?
- What is my prognosis?
- What are my treatment options?
- What side effects should I expect after undergoing treatment?
- Will insurance cover my recommended treatment?
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