Natalie's Everyday Heroes: 'Almost science fiction' advances in treating pancreatic cancer
WAUWATOSA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a groundbreaking drug to treat pancreatic cancer. It's called Daraxonrasib. The brand name is Rasonque, and it works by blocking KRAS gene mutations.
It's a major development.
Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers.
The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) is on the front lines when it comes to treatment and research. And it's one of the places that drug will be available.
Dr. Douglas Evans
"She had a great response," Dr. Douglas Evans told an audience gathered during grand rounds at MCW one recent morning.
Dr. Evans has a lot to talk about.
"I think the science is moving, really at warp speed," he said of the work currently being done in oncology research.
Strides in pancreatic cancer treatment and research are happening quickly here at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
"It's virtually impossible to leave work because there's always something going on," he said.
Dr. Evans is the chair of the department of surgery at the medical college.
"My lifelong interest has been in pancreas cancer and trying to solve that problem," he said.
Which makes this a good place to be.
At MCW's Labahn Pancreatic Cancer Program, more than 20 doctors and scientists are working on it.
The institution is also one of the first to distribute Daraxonrasib - the newly FDA -approved drug.
"People are coming from all around the country to access the KRAS inhibitor drugs available here at the Medical College of Wisconsin," Dr. Evans said.
What's happening here is getting national attention.
Every August, the Seena Magowitz Foundation hosts the Power of Us conference in Milwaukee. It's the world’s largest conference of pancreatic cancer patients, caregivers and doctors.
"It was amazing, one, to see all the survivors that were there," said Liz Behling.
Behling is one of Dr. Evans' patients.
The support she's gotten through the Seena Magowitz Foundation is big.
"Those kinds of things gives you a lot of hope that maybe there will be something before, you know, I'm done with this journey," she said.
It has been a journey. Initially, Behling was told there was nothing that could be done for her pancreatic cancer.
"So, I said to the nurse, so I'm just supposed to go home and die? And they didn't really have an answer for that," she said.
Dr. Evans and his team did. She transferred her care to the team at MCW and underwent surgery.
"They took my spleen, my gallbladder and my pancreas," she said.
And it gave her back her life.
"I'm doing well now. As far as I know, I'm cancer-free," she said.
Dr. Evans said they're seeing results they've never seen before. And they're not slowing down.
"Right now, I think it's time to keep both feet on the gas and continue to work hard," he said.
For more information on the Seena Magowitz Foundation, click here.
If you'd like to nominate an Everyday Hero, send Natalie a message at [email protected].