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Hopeful discovery: Pill doubles life expectancy for patients with deadliest cancer
🇬🇷 Greece /Health & Science

Hopeful discovery: Pill doubles life expectancy for patients with deadliest cancer

From Ta Nea · () Greek

Translated from Greek, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • A new daily pill treatment shows promise in doubling survival rates for patients with the deadliest form of cancer, pancreatic cancer.
  • Clinical trial results presented at the ASCO conference indicate the drug daraxonrasib doubled median survival time compared to chemotherapy.
  • Experts describe the findings as "game-changing" and a potential "revolution" in cancer treatment, offering hope for patients with limited options.

A groundbreaking daily pill treatment is offering new hope for patients battling the world's deadliest cancer, with clinical trial results showing it can double survival rates for those with pancreatic cancer. Experts are hailing the discovery as "revolutionary."

These results change the landscape. We are seeing unprecedented survival rates.

— Dr. Rachna ShroffThe specialist commented on the significance of the trial results for pancreatic cancer patients.

For decades, effective treatments for pancreatic cancer have remained elusive. The disease is often diagnosed at advanced stages, with over half of patients discovering it has already spread. However, the drug daraxonrasib, presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago, has demonstrated remarkable efficacy in a trial of 500 patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.

According to the study, patients taking daraxonrasib lived an average of 13.2 months, a significant increase compared to the 6.6 to 6.7 months seen with chemotherapy. This new treatment also appears to have fewer side effects than traditional chemotherapy. "These results change the landscape," said Dr. Rachna Shroff, a specialist in gastrointestinal cancers at the University of Arizona Cancer Center, who was not involved in the study. "We are seeing unprecedented survival rates."

I have heard it called a 'home run.' I would say it is a 'grand slam.'

— Dr. Julie GralowThe ASCO executive described the study's impact on cancer treatment.

Dr. Julie Gralow, chief medical officer and executive vice president of ASCO, echoed this sentiment, calling the study a "gamechanger" and a "grand slam." The drug works by targeting the Kras protein, a key driver in nearly all pancreatic cancers. Daraxonrasib acts as a "smart pill" that binds to and deactivates Kras, thereby halting cancer growth. This targeted approach represents a significant leap forward in the fight against a disease that has long been considered one of the most challenging to treat.

Targeting Kras was always the holy grail for many cancers, but particularly for pancreatic cancer. The Ras revolution is here.

— Dr. Rachna ShroffDr. Shroff explained the importance of targeting the Kras protein in cancer therapy.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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