New drug offers ‘first glimmer of hope’ in treatment of pancreatic cancer

An Irish researcher has discovered what has been described as the “first glimmer of hope” for pancreatic cancer treatment, after leading a clinical trial that indicated a specific drug doubled survival time when compared to chemotherapy.About 600 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer – one of the most aggressive forms of cancer – in the Republic annually. Consultant oncologist Prof John Crown said it was “very difficult to treat” but described a new drug treatment as the first glimmer of hope.[ Symptoms of pancreatic cancer can be difficult to spotOpens in new window ]“It’s often advanced when it’s diagnosed. There isn’t, as yet, a good screening test for it. And it isn’t sensitive to immunotherapy treatment; it’s baked into the biology of the cancer that makes it hard for drugs to penetrate into it,” said Crown, speaking in advance of a conference on oncology research starting in Dublin today.READ MORE“The problem with the disease is that only a minority at the time of diagnosis are operable and, generally speaking, if you’re not operable, you’re not curable. And even if it is operated on, the risk of relapse is still high.”He described recent research findings by Trinity College Dublin graduate and renowned expert on pancreatic cancer Dr Eileen O’Reilly as “twinkle of the eye stuff”.O’Reilly is a gastrointestinal medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. She led the phase-three clinical trial of the drug daraxonrasib for people with metastatic pancreatic cancer.It found patients lived for a median of 13.2 months, compared to 6.7 months on standard chemotherapy.[ Pancreatic cancer: ‘I’ve had this niggling pain in my left side’Opens in new window ]Crown said the findings were a “big nudge in what is a really grim and relentless disease”.O’Reilly will be a keynote speaker to discuss the recent advances in treatment at the 19th international symposium on translational research in oncology, running at the Herbert Park Hotel in Ballsbridge, Dublin, until Friday.She is also hosting a public meeting called Dare2Cure for pancreatic cancer patients, survivors and families at the hotel at 6.30pm today.