My father in law was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer that's spread to his lungs about a month ago. This news today raised my wife's hopes immensely and had them immediately doused after hearing the oncologist say that although the drug is approved it will take months before they are able to prescribe it.
Father in law started chemo a few weeks ago and his condition deteriorated quickly, he's been at the hospital since; switching between ICU and general care. His abdomen fills up with fluid, around 6 liters every 5 days, draining the fluid plunges his blood pressure and he end up in ICU. They supply Albumin until blood pressure stabilizes and send him back to general. Only after the first chemo session the oncologists have stopped the treatment saying he's no longer eligible for chemo because of his over all health.
We're lucky enough to live an hour away from Johns Hopkins (though that's not the hospital he's currently at) and had an appointment scheduled but had to cancel since he's unable to walk.
The oncologist mentioned that daraxonrasib was available as an option when he first started chemo, but said he would only be eligible for it after trying chemo, so we know the drug is available.
Are there any tips from HN on how we can approach getting this medicine for my father in law?
Revolution Medicines has an Expanded access program: https://www.revmed.com/expanded-access-policy/
I would suggest you have your physician submit a Expanded access request immediately, because the same page says that they will close this program after FDA approval as they transition to commercial use, but the timeline for that is unclear.
Thank you for sharing.
Ask the oncologist directly. Also, try contacting Revolution Medicines directly (the manufacturer), and/or go through their early access page: https://www.revmed.com/expanded-access-policy/
Thank you for sharing, the oncologists are saying that at this point in the diseases progression the same things that disqualify him from getting chemo also disqualify him from this drug. That in his current state it would do more harm.
I hope many others are helped by daraxonrasib, the key factor seems to be how early the cancer is detected, because it is an extremely fast acting disease.