Researchers press the case for intercepting pancreatic cancer before it turns malignant
5 October 2026
A Nature news feature published on 1 October 2026 sets out the case for cancer interception, which means treating abnormally growing tissue before it becomes cancer and spreads.
The PRECEDE study, led by Diane Simeone at UC San Diego Health, is enrolling 20,000 people at raised risk; a little more than 12,000 have joined so far and more than 50 have been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, many at the earliest stages.
Simeone has proposed that interception could lift five-year survival from 13.7 per cent to 50 per cent.
Daraxonrasib, sold as Rasonque, was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration in August 2026 for advanced pancreatic cancer, and researchers want to test it at earlier stages.
Work discussed at the AACR Pancreatic Cancer Conference in September 2026 included contributions from Anirban Maitra of NYU Langone Health and Ben Stanger of the University of Pennsylvania.
In plain words
Cancer interception cancer interception — Treating abnormal tissue growth before it becomes a cancer that can spread.
PRECEDE Pancreatic Cancer Early Detection consortium study — A large study enrolling people at raised risk of pancreatic cancer to catch it early.
FDA Food and Drug Administration — The United States regulator that approves medicines for sale.