A medical breakthrough in the fight against pancreatic cancer is showing promising results after

decades of research. The experimental drug taken once a day extends patients' lives by slowing

the progression of one of the deadliest cancers. Stephanie Sy has more. Jeff, it's called

Deroxon RASIP. And put simply, it targets mutations of the KRAZ gene,

a common driver of pancreatic cancer that chem is viewed for a long time as undruggable.

Pancreatic cancer is expected to kill more than 52,000 Americans this year. It's often diagnosed

after it's already spread, putting the five-year

overall survival rate at a meager 13 percent. For most advanced patients, there's no cure. And standard

treatment has been chemotherapy. Experts say that could be about to change. For more on what this

means for patients and the future of

cancer treatment, I'm joined by Dr. Roshna Shroff, Associate Director of Clinical Investigations at

the University of Arizona Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Shroff, this is hopeful to say the least.

And before we get into the details, I imagine you've treated and lost many pancreatic cancer patients over the years.

I lost my own mother to the disease very quickly a few years ago. What was your reaction when the results were read to the room over the weekend?

You know, I think, like you said, this was a monumental day in the treatment of

pancreatic cancer. I've been using the word game changer, and that is not a word that we use

lightly when it comes to treating this disease. And the honest truth is, it was tears,

tears of joy, you know, 16 years of treating this disease. And like you said, countless

lives lost to this horrible, horrible cancer. And so to see the results and to be in that room

with a number of people who have that same drive to kind of improve cancer outcomes for patients,

it was an incredibly emotional moment.

The studies participants were looking for a Hail Mary. They'd all undergone at least one round

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