Pancreatic Cancer

Cancerous tumors in the pancreas include:

• Pancreatic adenocarcinoma: The most common type of pancreatic cancer that occurs in the lining of the pancreatic duct.
• Cystadenocarcinoma: A rare pancreatic cancer that develops from a fluid-filled noncancerous (benign) tumor called a cystadenoma.
• Pancreatic Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs): A rare tumor that arise from endocrine cells within or near the pancreas, NETs account for less than 5% of all pancreatic tumors.

Ochsner is offering daraxonrasib to patients who meet the FDA label for approval. This includes patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer who have received at least one prior systemic therapy, and patients who are not candidates for multi-drug chemotherapy.

Daraxonrasib is not chemotherapy, but rather a pill taken by mouth. Unlike traditional chemotherapy, daraxonrasib is designed to target the underlying genetic drivers of cancer.

Daraxonrasib is not a cure, but recent clinical trials have shown that patients treated with daraxonrasib lived significantly longer than those receiving standard chemotherapy in certain settings.

Talk to your doctor about whether you are a candidate for daraxonrasib  treatment.

Some noncancerous tumors in the pancreas include:

• Insulinoma: A rare pancreatic tumor that secretes insulin, which is the hormone that lowers glucose levels in the blood.
• Gastrinoma: A tumor that secretes above average levels of gastrin, a hormone which stimulates the stomach to secrete acids and enzymes. Gastrinoma can also cause peptic ulcers.
• Glucagonoma: A tumor that secretes glucagon, a hormone which raises levels of glucose in the blood and leads to a rash.
• Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN): A tumor that grows within the pancreatic ducts characterized by the production of mucinous.

In addition to a complete medical history and medical examination, diagnostic procedures for pancreatic cancer may include:

• Endoscopic ultrasound: A specialized diagnostic technique that uses high-frequency sound waves delivered through an endoscope to create high-quality images of the upper GI tract, including the pancreas
• Computed Tomography (CT or CAT scan): A non-invasive procedure that takes cross-sectional images of the brain or other internal organs to detect any abnormalities that may not show up on an ordinary x-ray
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): A non-invasive procedure that produces two-dimensional views of an internal organ or structure, especially the brain and spinal cord
• Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP): This procedure involves inserting an endoscope, which is an advanced viewing tube, through the stomach and into the small intestine. A special dye injected during this procedure shows the ducts in the biliary system.
• Biopsy of the pancreas
• Special blood tests