Philadelphia police officer takes newly approved drug for pancreatic cancer: "It gives me hope"

The FDA approval of a new drug to treat advanced pancreatic cancer is being called an important breakthrough that will change how the deadly cancer is treated. The new drug can double survival time for a cancer that was once considered hopeless. 

The drug is already making a big difference for one patient at Main Line Health.

Philadelphia Police Officer April Holmes spent 18 years fighting crime. Now the 51-year-old is in a fight for her life. 

"It didn't click until she actually said that I have Stage 4 pancreatic cancer," she said. "So immediately, of course, I broke down."

Pancreatic cancer is called a silent killer because there are often no symptoms, and it's usually found late, after it spreads. 

"My thoughts was final. Like, this is the end of the road for me," Holmes said. "Definitely thought about my kids and my husband and my mom."

Chemotherapy, the traditional treatment, didn't work for Holmes, and it made her sick. So she decided to try an experimental treatment, a drug called daraxonrasib that's now FDA-approved. 

"It works by stopping a critical way in which pancreas cancer grows and spreads," Main Line Health Dr. Hannah Thomas said. 

In clinical trials, the drug doubled survival time from six to 13 months.

"We didn't think we'd be able to target this mutation with medication," Thomas said. "It is allowing us to offer patients more time, which we typically were not able to do."

While not a cure, the drug is the first treatment to extend the lives of patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer. It's being called one of the most important advances in a decade. 

"Being able to do that now is a breakthrough in medicine and will pave the way for further innovation," Thomas said.

"It's a miracle," Holmes said. "I just thank God that they came up with something to help me." 

Doctors are hopeful that as the research evolves, this drug might become even more effective and maybe extend life for years.

Holmes said she hasn't had any bad side effects and is relieved to be getting some extra time with her family.

"I got a grandbaby who's coming on the way," she said. "That's exciting, you know." 

She's hoping the drug will allow her to travel with her husband: "It gives me hope."