National recognition and promising new treatment options highlight a significant moment for pancreatic cancer care at ECU Health. The health system was recently designated a National Pancreas Foundation Center of Excellence for Pancreatic Cancer, an achievement that coincides with the arrival of Rasonque (daraxonrasib), a newly FDA-approved targeted therapy for the disease.
The Center of Excellence designation recognizes ECU Health’s comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to pancreatic cancer care and its commitment to providing patients with access to specialized expertise, coordinated treatment and supportive services.
“Being recognized as a National Pancreas Foundation Center of Excellence validates the exceptional work of our multidisciplinary teams and our commitment to providing comprehensive, patient-centered care,” said Phyllis DeAntonio, executive director of the Cancer Service Line at ECU Health. “This designation reflects the expertise of our physicians, nurses, advanced practice providers, pharmacists and support teams who work together every day to deliver the highest quality care. As we continue expanding access to innovative therapies and advanced treatment options, our goal remains ensuring patients throughout eastern North Carolina can receive nationally recognized pancreatic cancer care close to home.”
The National Pancreas Foundation awards Center of Excellence designations following a rigorous evaluation process that assesses an organization’s ability to provide coordinated, high-quality care through specialties including medical oncology, gastroenterology, pancreatic surgery, interventional radiology, pain management and supportive services.
For patients facing a pancreatic cancer diagnosis, access to this level of coordinated care is particularly important, as it remains one of the most challenging cancers to treat with historically limited treatment options and poor outcomes. This year, the American Cancer Society has documented about 2,000 new cases of pancreatic cancer. Of those, 1,840 patients have died from the disease.
New treatment option offers hope
Dr. Mahvish Muzaffar, associate professor of Hematology and Oncology at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University and physician at ECU Health Cancer Center, said a groundbreaking new treatment could offer the beginnings of a solution. Rasonque, a new oral targeted therapy, is designed to inhibit RAS, a protein that drives tumor growth in more than 90 percent of pancreatic cancers.
The medication was recently approved by the FDA and has given ECU Health physicians a moment to celebrate their ongoing battle against pancreatic cancer.
“As an oncologist who cares for patients with pancreatic cancer, the FDA approval of Rasonque is one of the most exciting moments I have seen in my career,” said Dr. Muzaffar. “It makes me emotional because I immediately think about the many patients and families who have walked this difficult journey with courage, often with far too few effective treatment options.”
In clinical trials, the therapy demonstrated significant improvements in overall survival and reduced the risk of death by 60 percent compared to standard chemotherapy.
“Pancreatic cancer remains one of the deadliest cancers we treat,” Dr. Muzaffar said. “For decades, progress has been slow, which is why this advance is so significant.”
Patients interested in the new treatment are encouraged to speak with their oncology care team to determine whether it may be appropriate for their specific diagnosis and treatment plan.
The arrival of the new therapy strengthens treatment options for patients at ECU Health and, along with the Center of Excellence designation, highlights the organization’s role in advancing cancer research and education.
A local connection
Among the researchers involved in developing evidence supporting the drug was Dr. Aparna Hegde, a 2018 graduate of the ECU Health Medical Center Hematology and Oncology Fellowship Program.
“It is especially gratifying to see that one of our own graduates, Dr. Hegde, played a role in bringing this therapy to patients,” Dr. Muzaffar said. “Her contributions reflect the impact that ECU-trained physicians are making nationally in cancer research and drug development.”
While pancreatic cancer remains a complex disease and no single treatment is right for every patient, physicians believe the combination of nationally recognized expertise and access to innovative therapies positions ECU Health to continue improving outcomes for patients throughout the region.
“For the first time in a long time, I genuinely feel we are entering a new chapter in pancreatic cancer care,” Dr. Muzaffar said. “While there is still much work ahead, this approval gives our patients something incredibly important: hope.”