Ben Sasse's pancreatic cancer has developed resistance to the drug that gave him months of extra time, and he is now switching to chemotherapy.
On September 23, the former Nebraska senator, 54, shared "good news, bad news, and next steps" on X. The good news was that major liver surgery at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston the week before had cleared out a large amount of cancer, an option that wasn't available nine months earlier when doctors gave him three to four months to live. The bad news was that tests showed the tumors were more advanced than expected and had developed resistance to his former treatment. He wrote, "Bummer but that's life, and was eventually expected."
Sasse said his team is changing his treatment to aggressive chemotherapy to go after as much remaining cancer as possible.
Sasse joined a clinical trial of daraxonrasib in January. The drug, sold as Rasonque, later received accelerated FDA approval in late August. According to The New York Times, pancreatic cancer specialists say resistance develops in nearly all patients, and the drug's effect often fades after roughly seven months. Researchers are now studying why.
Sasse thanked his wife, their three children, and his medical team. Reports say he also expressed gratitude to God for the extra time. Earlier this year he told Christians following his story that death is something to hate, yet he finds hope that there will be "no more tears."
Please keep Ben Sasse and his family in your prayers.
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