Ben Sasse's Pancreatic Tumor Shrinks 76% on New Drug

A former U.S. Senator told to prepare for death is now celebrating massive tumor reduction thanks to a pill that targets cancer in a completely new way.

Ben Sasse, 54, learned he had stage 4 pancreatic cancer in December 2024. The disease had already spread to his liver and lungs. Doctors gave him three to four months to live.

Instead of accepting that timeline, Sasse enrolled in a clinical trial for daraxonrasib, an experimental oral medication made by California-based Revolution Medicines. Four months later, his tumors have shrunk by 76%.

"I have much, much less pain than I had four months ago when I was diagnosed," Sasse told 60 Minutes. The former Nebraska senator, who served from 2015 to 2023, says the drug has dramatically improved his quality of life.

Daraxonrasib works differently than traditional chemotherapy. It targets a genetic switch called RAS that stays stuck in the "on" position in most pancreatic tumors, constantly telling cancer cells to grow and spread.

"This is the first targeted pill in this disease that truly feels like a step change rather than a small incremental improvement," said Dr. Sarbajit Mukherjee, chief of gastrointestinal medical oncology at Miami Cancer Institute. He was not involved in Sasse's treatment but has reviewed the trial data.

Recent phase 3 trial results show patients on daraxonrasib lived a median of 13 months, compared to just six months for those who continued standard chemotherapy. That's double the survival time for people whose cancer didn't respond to initial treatment.

The drug is still in final clinical trials and not yet FDA-approved. Side effects include rash, diarrhea, mouth sores, and fatigue, though doctors can usually manage these by adjusting doses or adding supportive medications.

Early data suggests even better results when daraxonrasib is combined with chemotherapy as a first treatment. More tumors shrink, and more patients are doing well at the six-month mark compared to chemotherapy alone.

Why This Inspires

Pancreatic cancer is notoriously difficult to catch early and deadly once it spreads. Progress in treatment has been painfully slow for decades. This breakthrough represents hope not just for Sasse, but for thousands of patients who run out of options when chemotherapy stops working.

The drug isn't a cure, and cancer will likely find ways to adapt over time. But for patients facing a diagnosis that once meant certain death in months, gaining years of quality life is transformative.

Sasse credits both the experimental drug and his faith for beating his original prognosis. His story shows how clinical trials can offer real hope when standard treatments fail.

Researchers are now asking whether daraxonrasib should become part of the very first treatment plan for pancreatic cancer patients, potentially helping even more people live longer, fuller lives.