Nebraska Cancer Specialists First in Region to Offer New Pancreatic Cancer Therapy

Nebraska Cancer Specialists (NCS) is now offering eligible patients access to a promising investigational treatment for metastatic pancreatic cancer through a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Expanded Access Program (EAP). NCS is currently the only practice in the region providing access to this treatment through its nationally recognized clinical research program.

Pancreatic cancer remains one of the deadliest forms of cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 67,000 Americans are expected to be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2026. More than half of patients are diagnosed after the disease has already spread, and the five-year survival rate for metastatic pancreatic cancer remains approximately 3%.

Recent Phase III clinical trial results have generated national attention by demonstrating significantly improved outcomes for patients with previously treated metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The investigational oral therapy nearly doubled median overall survival compared with standard second-line chemotherapy, approximately 13.2 months versus 6.7 months, while also reducing treatment-related toxicity and improving patients' quality of life.

Unlike traditional chemotherapy, the investigational treatment is taken as a pill. The most commonly reported side effects include skin rash and mouth sores, which have generally been more manageable than those associated with chemotherapy.

More than 90% of pancreatic cancers are driven by mutations in the KRAS gene. This first-in-class targeted therapy is designed to inhibit multiple RAS variants, representing a significant advancement in the treatment of this aggressive disease.

"Clinical research gives patients access to tomorrow's treatments today," said Joel Michalski, president and medical oncologist/hematologist at Nebraska Cancer Specialists. "For patients whose pancreatic cancer has progressed after standard therapy, having access to a promising investigational treatment offers new hope at a time when treatment options have historically been very limited."

Nebraska Cancer Specialists has long been recognized as one of the nation's leading community oncology research programs, offering patients access to innovative clinical trials and expanded access therapies that are often unavailable elsewhere in the region.

Patients diagnosed with previously treated metastatic pancreatic cancer may be eligible for the Expanded Access Program. Eligibility is determined through consultation with an NCS physician and the clinical research team.