Dartmouth Patients Among First To Get New Drug That Fights Pancreatic Cancer

A new drug is nearly doubling the survival rate for people with pancreatic cancer. It’s called Rasonque and is administered as a pill.

Patients at Dartmouth Health are among the first to have access to the drug.

During early trials, Rasonque has stopped the growth of cancer in over 80-percent of the patients who took it, it has also extended survival to more than a year, as opposed to seven months for people who just undergo chemotherapy.

Rasonque will eventually be available to oncologists across the U.S. and anyone enrolled in the early access period in New Hampshire will continue to receive treatment for the next month before its more widely available.