How Much Do You Know About Pancreatic Cancer?

Five quick questions. See how your knowledge stacks up — and learn something that could matter for your family.

What is the five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer?

• About 50% — Unfortunately, not quite. Pancreatic cancer's five-year survival rate is just 13% — one of the lowest of any cancer type, largely because it's often caught late.
• About 13% — Correct. At just 13%, pancreatic cancer has one of the lowest survival rates of any major cancer — which makes this new drug development so significant.
• About 30% — The actual rate is much lower — only 13%. Pancreatic cancer is caught late in most cases because early symptoms are subtle or absent.
• About 65% — The actual rate is just 13%. It's one of the deadliest cancers, primarily because it's rarely caught before spreading.

The new drug targets a mutation called KRAS. What does KRAS do?

• It regulates normal cell growth — when mutated, it fuels uncontrolled tumor growth — Exactly right. KRAS is a gene that normally keeps cell growth in check. Mutated versions of it essentially hit the gas pedal on cancer cell reproduction.
• It suppresses the immune system so tumors hide — Not quite. KRAS mutations actually directly drive uncontrolled cell growth rather than suppressing immunity. The new drug uses a 'molecular glue' to bind to and block this mutated protein.
• It prevents blood vessels from feeding the tumor — That's a different approach called anti-angiogenesis therapy. KRAS mutations are genetic drivers of cell growth — daraxonrasib binds directly to the mutated protein to block it.
• It triggers inflammation that hides cancer cells — Not quite. KRAS is a gene family that regulates cell growth. Mutated KRAS proteins essentially act as stuck accelerators for tumor growth — and this drug is designed to unstick them.

Why is pancreatic cancer so hard to catch early?

• It's rare, so doctors don't screen for it routinely — Partially true — routine screening isn't standard, but the deeper issue is that early pancreatic cancer often produces no symptoms at all, meaning most cases aren't caught until after the cancer has spread.
• It grows slowly and doesn't spread for many years — Actually the opposite — pancreatic cancer is often aggressive and spreads to other organs before symptoms emerge. That's exactly what makes early detection so difficult.
• It produces no distinctive symptoms until it has already spread — Correct. Pancreatic cancer often produces no warning signs until it has already metastasized to other organs — which is why most diagnoses come at a late, harder-to-treat stage.
• Standard imaging tests like CT scans can't detect it — CT scans can detect pancreatic cancer, but by the time most patients have symptoms warranting a scan, it has often already spread. Early silent growth is the real challenge.

In the clinical trial, how did the pill compare to additional chemotherapy?

• Median survival nearly doubled: 13.2 months vs. 6.7 months — That's right. While the numbers may sound modest, nearly doubling survival time — with fewer severe side effects — was enough to make oncologists emotional. One doctor said she 'started crying' when she saw the results.
• Patients lived about two weeks longer on average — The improvement was much larger. Median survival nearly doubled: 13.2 months on daraxonrasib versus 6.7 months on chemotherapy — a gap researchers expect to widen as more data comes in.
• The pill cured about 15% of patients completely — Researchers were careful to note the pill does not cure cancer. But nearly doubling median survival time — with better quality of life — was still called 'a very large step forward' by lead researchers.
• It only worked in patients under 60 — Age wasn't the determining factor — the drug targets a specific genetic mutation (KRAS) present in more than 90% of pancreatic cancer cases, regardless of patient age.

Can patients access daraxonrasib right now?

• No — it's not available at all yet — Actually, limited access IS available. The FDA has authorized an 'expanded access' program for patients who meet certain criteria while full approval is being reviewed.
• Yes — it was just approved by the FDA — Not yet fully approved, but the FDA has put the drug on an expedited review track AND authorized an 'expanded access' program so eligible patients can receive it before full approval.
• Limited access is available through an FDA expanded access program — Correct. The FDA is fast-tracking review AND has authorized expanded access for patients who qualify — which is why oncologists say they're being 'flooded with requests' from patients and families.
• It's only available in clinical trials — Clinical trials are one path, but the FDA has also opened an 'expanded access' program — meaning eligible patients can apply to receive the drug outside of a formal trial while full approval is pending.

For Cleveland families touched by pancreatic cancer, news from a major oncology conference this past weekend landed like a lifeline. An experimental daily pill called daraxonrasib nearly doubled survival time for patients whose metastatic pancreatic cancer had stopped responding to prior treatment — and it did so with fewer severe side effects than continuing chemotherapy.

The results, published simultaneously in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the American Society for Clinical Oncology meeting in Chicago, were emotional even for the experts. 'Having treated pancreatic cancer for 16 years, I actually started crying,' said Dr. Rachna Shroff of the University of Arizona Cancer Center, who wasn't involved in the research.

Daraxonrasib vs. Additional Chemotherapy

More Chemotherapy

• 6.7 mo Median Survival After prior treatment failure
• Continued IV chemotherapy sessions
• Higher rates of severe side effects
• Patients stopped treatment sooner
• No new mechanism — same approach

Daraxonrasib Pill

• 13.2 mo Median Survival Nearly double the comparison group
• Daily oral pill — taken at home
• Less pain, better quality of life reported
• Patients stayed on treatment significantly longer
• Targets the previously 'undruggable' KRAS mutation

What makes this drug different isn't just the survival numbers — it's the mechanism. For decades, scientists knew that mutations in the KRAS gene family were the primary fuel behind more than 90% of pancreatic cancers. The problem: the mutated KRAS protein had a structure that made it nearly impossible for drugs to bind to it. It was widely called 'undruggable.'

Revolution Medicines, the drug's maker, cracked that problem with what researchers describe as a 'molecular glue' — a binding approach that attaches to multiple KRAS subtypes simultaneously rather than targeting just one. That broader reach may be why the drug showed such consistent results across a diverse patient population.

While not curing the cancer, it is a very large step forward.Dr. Zev Wainberg, UCLA — Lead Researcher, Daraxonrasib Trial

The Long Road to an 'Undruggable' Target

• 1980s — KRAS mutations identified as a primary driver of pancreatic cancer — and immediately recognized as a potential drug target
• 1990s–2000s — Repeated attempts to develop KRAS-targeting drugs fail due to the protein's structure. Scientists label it 'undruggable.'
• 2013 — Researchers discover a small 'pocket' in the KRAS protein that could allow drug binding — reigniting research interest
• 2021 — FDA approves sotorasib, the first KRAS-targeting drug — but only for a specific subtype (KRAS G12C) found mainly in lung cancer
• 2024 — Daraxonrasib clinical trial (500 patients) completes — results show nearly doubled survival in advanced pancreatic cancer
• 2025 — Results published in NEJM; FDA fast-tracks review and authorizes expanded access program for eligible patients

The Clinical Trial By The Numbers

• 500 — Patients Enrolled
• 13.2 — Months Median Survival (Pill)
• 6.7 — Months Median Survival (Chemo)
• 90%+ — Cases With Targetable Mutation

Lead researcher Dr. Brian Wolpin of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute said daraxonrasib should become 'a new standard of care' for previously treated metastatic pancreatic cancer. He also noted that researchers plan to study whether earlier use of the drug — in newly diagnosed patients rather than those who've already failed other treatments — could shrink tumors enough to make more patients candidates for surgery.

Side effects aren't trivial: the most significant include a potentially severe skin rash and mouth sores. But patients in the trial reported less pain and a better quality of life compared to those continuing chemotherapy, and they stayed on treatment significantly longer — an important sign that the drug was working in a way that felt worth continuing.

Sorting the Facts From the Hype

This pill cures pancreatic cancer.

Verdict: false

Researchers were explicit: the drug does not cure pancreatic cancer. It significantly extended survival and improved quality of life, but the effects eventually wane. The lead researcher called it 'a very large step forward' — not a cure.

The drug targets a mutation found in most pancreatic cancer patients.

Verdict: true

KRAS mutations are present in more than 90% of pancreatic cancer cases. Daraxonrasib targets multiple KRAS subtypes simultaneously using a 'molecular glue' approach, which is why researchers believe it can help such a broad share of patients.

Patients can access the drug right now if they qualify.

Verdict: mostly true

The FDA has authorized an 'expanded access' program allowing eligible patients to receive daraxonrasib before full approval. Full FDA approval is on an expedited review track. Oncologists report being 'flooded with requests' as the program gets underway — but not every patient will qualify.

Pancreatic cancer is deadly mainly because treatment options are poor.

Verdict: mostly true

Treatment limitations are a major factor, but the deeper driver is late detection. Most pancreatic cancers are found after they've already spread to other organs, when treatment is far less effective. Early-stage pancreatic cancer, when caught, has significantly higher survival rates.

This is the first drug to show a meaningful advantage over chemo for this disease.

Verdict: true

Lead researcher Dr. Zev Wainberg said daraxonrasib marked 'the first drug to show a substantial advantage over chemotherapy' for previously treated metastatic pancreatic cancer — a disease that has seen far fewer treatment advances than other cancer types.

Pancreatic Cancer vs. Other Common Cancers

What Is 'Expanded Access' and How Do You Apply?

The FDA's 'expanded access' program — sometimes called 'compassionate use' — allows patients with serious or life-threatening conditions to access experimental drugs before they're formally approved, when no comparable alternatives exist.

For daraxonrasib, Revolution Medicines (the drug's maker) is managing the expanded access program. Patients typically need to work with their oncologist to apply — the doctor submits a request to the company and, if necessary, seeks FDA authorization. Not all patients qualify; eligibility generally requires that prior treatments have failed and that the patient meets the trial's general criteria.

Cleveland-area patients interested in the program should contact their oncologist or reach out to the oncology departments at University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center, Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute, or MetroHealth for guidance. Revolution Medicines can be contacted directly at www.revmed.com.

Where Daraxonrasib Stands in the Approval Pipeline

Resources for Northeast Ohio Patients & Families

• Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute: Cleveland's largest comprehensive cancer center. Ask your oncologist about KRAS-targeting trials and expanded access programs.
• UH Seidman Cancer Center: University Hospitals' flagship cancer program offers clinical trial access and can help navigate expanded access requests.
• Find Active Clinical Trials: ClinicalTrials.gov lists every active pancreatic cancer trial in the U.S., including those recruiting in Northeast Ohio.
• Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN): PanCAN's Patient Services team can help you find specialists, navigate insurance, and identify expanded access programs.

Sources & References

• Primary source: scrippsnews.com — https://www.scrippsnews.com/ap-via-scripps-news
• American Cancer Society — Estimated pancreatic cancer incidence, mortality, and five-year survival rate statistics (2025)
• New England Journal of Medicine — Daraxonrasib Phase 3 trial results: median survival 13.2 vs. 6.7 months, study design, and side effect profile
• American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) — ASCO 2025 Annual Meeting — daraxonrasib presentation by Dr. Brian Wolpin, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration — Expanded Access (Compassionate Use) program eligibility and application process
• National Cancer Institute — KRAS mutation biology, role in pancreatic cancer, and historical context of 'undruggable' target research