Balancing Survival and Quality of Life in Pancreatic Cancer: Expert Perspectives From an Immuneering Panel

In this discussion panel with Pharmacy Times, Meredith Pelster, MD, MSCI, associate director of GI cancer research at Sarah Cannon Research Institute and a medical oncologist at SCRI Oncology Partners; Igor Matushansky, MD, PhD, medical oncologist at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and chief medical officer at Immuneering; and Ben Zeskind, PhD, CEO and co-founder of Immuneering, discuss the importance of ongoing patient education, continuous support, and long-term tolerability in pancreatic cancer treatment. The panel highlights how sustained counseling and reinforcement help patients remain engaged and compliant with therapy over extended periods. Pelster shares real-world experiences from phase 2 trials, including patients who experienced improved performance status, reduced symptom burden, and increased independence while on treatment. The speakers emphasize that effective disease control can lead to meaningful improvements in quality of life, even in the presence of treatment-related toxicities. They also note that many patients report feeling stronger, gaining weight, and resuming daily activities, reflecting the regimen’s supportive design goals. The panel outlines the ongoing phase 3 trial strategy, underscoring overall survival as the primary endpoint and reaffirming its role as the gold standard for evaluating new therapies in pancreatic cancer.