PancChat Podcast with Alisyn Camerota

Pancreatic cancer took Andy Lyons’ grandmother, mother, aunt, uncle, and brother. Could he prevent it from becoming his story, too?

Host Alisyn Camerota sits down with Andy to discuss his more than 20 years of surveillance through a familial pancreatic cancer research study. That vigilance made a life-changing difference in 2021, when his pancreatic cancer was detected early enough for him to undergo Whipple surgery just two weeks after diagnosis, followed by chemotherapy.

Today, Andy encourages anyone with a family history of pancreatic cancer to talk with their doctor about genetic testing.

PancChat is a co...

In this episode of PancChat, host Alisyn Camerota is joined by pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, or PNET, patient Katie DeCarlo. Katie shares her experience living with stage IV cancer and how she has come to approach her diagnosis as a chronic condition she continues to manage while living her life to the fullest.

Katie shares her journey from diagnosis through treatment, including surgery, chemotherapy, liver ablation, and participation in a clinical trial. She reflects on what it means to manage PNET as a chronic condition, the emotional challenges of living with an ongoing diagnosis, and the importance of...

Not all pancreatic cancers are the same. While most patients are diagnosed with pancreatic adenocarcinoma, approximately 10% have pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs). What makes PNETs different, and what does that mean for diagnosis, treatment, and care?

On this episode of PancChat, host Alisyn Camerota joins Dr. Diane Reidy-Lagunes, chief of the Division of Medical Oncology and vice president for oncology services at Duke University Health System, to explore the biology, symptoms, treatment, and outlook of PNETs.

Dr. Reidy-Lagunes explains why some PNETs can be monitored while others need treatment, how tumor grade helps guide care, and...

Up to 95% of pancreatic cancer patients have a KRAS mutation in their tumor. For decades, it was considered impossible to target with a drug. What changed?

To get the latest information, host Alisyn Camerota is joined by Dr. Eileen O'Reilly, medical oncologist and Winthrop Rockefeller Endowed Chair in Medical Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, to unpack what RAS and KRAS actually are, why this gene resisted treatment for so long, and what the recent approval of Rasonque™ (daraxonrasib) means for patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.

Dr. O'Reilly explains the biology behind RAS signaling, th...

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) just approved a treatment that doubled survival time for patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer — what does this landmark approval mean for you or a loved one?

To get the latest information, host Alisyn Camerota is joined by Dr. Brian Wolpin, a medical oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Wolpin breaks down what the FDA's approval of Rasonque™ (daraxonrasib) means for patients, how the drug works differently from chemotherapy, who's eligible to receive it, what side effects look like and how...

Diabetes and pancreatic cancer often go hand in hand. Between 30 to 50% of patients have diabetes or prediabetes at diagnosis, and another 40% develop it during treatment.

To get the latest information, host Alisyn Camerota is joined by endocrinologist and Director of the Duke Onco-Endocrinology Program at the Duke Center for Cancer Immunotherapy, Dr. Afreen Shariff, an Associate Director for the Cancer Therapy Toxicity Program and a member of the faculty in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism at Duke University School of Medicine.

In this episode, Dr. Shariff discusses managing pancreatic cancer and diabetes, and...

Almost one in four people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer are also diagnosed with diabetes. In this episode of PancChat, host Alisyn Camerota talks with Dr. Suresh Chari, professor of medicine at MD Anderson Cancer Center and principal investigator for the PanCAN Early Detection Initiative, about the complex relationship between diabetes and pancreatic cancer.

Dr. Chari explains why new-onset diabetes can be an early warning sign for pancreatic cancer, why a sudden rise in blood sugar alongside unexplained weight loss is a pattern worth watching, and why early detection remains one of the biggest challenges in pancreatic cancer...

With one new drug against the KRAS mutation on the path to FDA approval, what is the status of other KRAS drugs, as well as different types of treatment? 

To get the latest information, host Alisyn Camerota is joined once again by Dr. Allyson Ocean, medical oncologist and director of the Pancreatic Cancer Research Program at Weill Cornell Medicine, and a co-founder of Let's Win, along with Dr. Anna Berkenblit, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer for PanCAN, who brings more than two decades of experience in the research and clinical development of novel anticancer therapies.

New pancreatic cancer treatments have not been approved in many years, but the first half of 2026 has seen some significant treatment advances. In this episode, host Alisyn Camerota talks with Dr. Anna Berkenblit, PanCAN’s Chief Scientific and Medical Officer, and Dr. Allyson Ocean, director of the pancreatic cancer research program at Weill Cornell Medicine and co-founder of Let's Win Pancreatic Cancer, about what's changing and what it means for patients.

Dr. Berkenblit and Dr. Ocean discuss the phase 3 results for daraxonrasib, a RAS-targeted therapy now available to some patients through an FDA expanded access program.  The...

Roberta Luna is a  24-year pancreatic cancer survivor. When she was diagnosed in 2002, her doctors gave her months to live. But she was determined that the same disease that had already taken her father and uncle would not take her. In this episode, Roberta talks with host Alisyn Camerota about navigating a stage three diagnosis, the role of clinical trials, the diet and lifestyle changes she credits with her health, and the survivor's guilt that comes with outliving a prognosis. She also shares why she's never made a bucket list — and why she jumps out of a plane every Apr...

What is it like to live with pancreatic cancer?.

Randi Ervin was diagnosed with a pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (PNET) in her 30s. Even after a total pancreatectomy she remains in treatment to keep the tumor in check.  

In the years since her diagnosis she has become an insulin-dependent diabetic, lost her mother to pancreatic cancer, and built a full life as a health equity advocate and volunteer with PanCAN's Survivor Council and Health Equity Committee.

In this episode, host Alisyn Camerota talks with Randi about what survivorship actually looks like a decade o...

What if artificial intelligence could catch pancreatic cancer before a radiologist's eye does?

In this episode of PancChat, host Alisyn Camerota speaks with Dr. Elliot Fishman, professor in the Departments of Radiology and Radiological Science, Oncology, and Surgery at Johns Hopkins Medicine, member of the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, and co-principal investigator of the FELIX Project for Early Detection of Pancreatic Cancer. Dr. Fishman shares how AI-powered imaging tools are being trained to detect tumors as small as two centimeters — and why that capability could save tens of thousands of lives a year. He also di...

Pancreatic cancer is most often caught late — but that is starting to change. In this episode of PancChat, host Alisyn Camerota sits down with Dr. Raymond Wadlow, a gastrointestinal oncologist at the Inova Schar Cancer Institute and director of the High Risk Pancreatic Clinic, to talk about what screening and surveillance actually mean for people at elevated risk of developing pancreatic cancer.

Dr. Wadlow walks through who qualifies for screening, which genetic mutations and family history patterns matter, and what the current imaging protocols look like. He also explains the promise and limitations of blood-based tests in...

So far, immunotherapy has been a game-changer in other cancers but not pancreatic cancer. Is that finally changing?

In this episode of PancChat, host Alisyn Camerota sits down with Dr. Elizabeth Jaffee, deputy director of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins and chief medical advisor of the Lustgarten Foundation. Dr. Jaffee breaks down the science behind pancreatic cancer's resistance to immunotherapy, the promise of cancer vaccines, and the emergence of KRAS inhibitors as a new class of targeted therapies. After thirty years in the field, she shares why she is more optimistic than ever.<...

In this episode of PancChat, host Alisyn Camerota sits down with Dr. Vinod Balachandran, a surgeon-scientist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and the founding director of the Olayan Center for Cancer Vaccines, to take a closer look at vaccines being developed to prevent recurrence of pancreatic cancer.

Dr. Balachandran breaks down three promising vaccine approaches currently in development — including the mRNA vaccine his team is working on — and explains how each one works, who may be eligible for clinical trials, and why progress in pancreatic cancer could have implications for other cancer types as well.

Pa...

Pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy — known as PERT — may be one of the most important yet overlooked tools for pancreatic cancer patients and survivors. In this episode of PancChat, host Alisyn Camerota sits down with Dallas Lawry, an advanced oncology certified nurse practitioner at UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, to break down why up to 90% of pancreatic cancer patients experience exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, how PERT works, and practical tips for getting the most out of treatment — including how to time doses with meals, navigate insurance coverage, and explore alternatives when costs become a barrier.

PancChat is a c...

Eating during pancreatic cancer treatment can be challenging. In this episode, PancChat host Alisyn Camerota sits down with Audrey Caspar-Clark, an outpatient oncology dietitian specializing in pancreatic cancer at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and the Abramson Cancer Center, to tackle the real challenges patients face — from treatment side effects and appetite loss to persistent nutrition myths. Audrey shares practical strategies for staying nourished, what caregivers can do to help without adding pressure, and why the goal isn't a perfect diet, but the best one possible in the moment.

PancChat is a collaboration between Le...

What's on the horizon for pancreatic cancer treatment and earlier detection? In this episode, host Alisyn Camerota sits down with Dr. Andrew Ko, professor of medicine and associate chief of hematology oncology at UC San Francisco, to explore the most promising advances in the field.

Dr. Ko breaks down the current state of pancreatic cancer vaccines and explains why they're showing promise for earlier stage patients following surgery. He also discusses the landscape of immunotherapy, the excitement around RAS inhibitors, and emerging targets. The conversation also covers early detection, including blood-based screening tools and the potential role...

Where does pancreatic cancer research stand today — and what does it mean for patients and families right now?

In this episode, host Alisyn Camerota sits down with Dr. Emil Lou, physician scientist and medical oncologist at the University of Minnesota Medical Center, to break down the latest developments in pancreatic cancer research. From KRAS-targeted therapies and the challenge of drug resistance, to the role of AI in early detection and treatment response, Dr. Lou offers an accessible and honest look at where we are, what's promising, and why research funding has never been more critical.

In this continuation of our conversation about clinical trials, host Alisyn Camerota and Martin D Hynes, III, discuss the real obstacles patients face when pursuing clinical trials.

Marty, a chemist and pancreatic cancer survivor, explains that while clinical trials require additional testing beyond standard of care, pharmaceutical companies cover these costs, including scans, blood work, and often travel expenses and lodging for patients and caregivers.

He addresses concerns about leaving established care teams and emphasizes the importance of having an advocate to coordinate communication between medical teams. Marty and Alisyn discuss the complexities of...

January is Pancreatic Cancer Clinical Trial Awareness Month. In this episode of PancChat, host Alisyn Camerota speaks with Martin D Hynes, III, a chemist who spent much of his career in the pharmaceutical industry, including years with Eli Lilly developing Gemzar, a chemotherapy drug used to treat pancreatic cancer.

In 2021, Marty was diagnosed with stage I pancreatic cancer and found himself on the patient side of clinical trials for the first time. Despite his extensive professional experience, Marty faced significant barriers to enrolling in a clinical trial. He discusses common misconceptions that prevent patients from participating in...

In Episode 12 of PancChat, host Alisyn Camerota speaks with Diana Jupp, CEO of Pancreatic Cancer UK, about global advocacy, differences between UK and US approaches, and the power of collaboration through the World Pancreatic Cancer Coalition.

Learn how awareness campaigns, patient voices, and international partnerships are helping drive progress in pancreatic cancer research, diagnosis, and care.

Thank you to our sponsor, Revolution Medicines.

For more information and support, visit letswinpc.org and pancan.org. 

Resources:

letswinpc.org

pancan.org

In this episode of PancChat, host Alisyn Camerota speaks with Kerry McKean Kelly, founder of Kelly's Heroes, about the power of collaboration in pancreatic cancer advocacy.

Kerry shares her personal journey after losing her husband Steve to stage IV pancreatic cancer and how she channeled her grief into global advocacy work. As outgoing chair of the World Pancreatic Cancer (WPCC) Day Committee, Kerry discusses the importance of clinical trial awareness, how the World Pancreatic Cancer Coalition unites 100+ organizations worldwide, why patient empowerment matters across all healthcare systems, and the progress being made in pancreatic...

Join host Alisyn Camerota as she welcomes Dr. Asaf Maoz from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to explore the science behind genetic mutations in pancreatic cancer. Building on Episode 9's discussion of the genetic testing journey, this episode dives into hereditary risk and the specific types of mutations patients and families may encounter. 

Dr. Maoz, an attending physician in the Division of Genetics and Prevention and faculty member at Harvard Medical School, explains why genetic testing is now the standard of care, identifies the most common hereditary mutations linked to pancreatic cancer, and discusses what results mean for patients a...

Join host Alisyn Camerota as she welcomes Jessica Everett, MS, CGC, Senior Research Strategy Director at UC San Diego's Moores Cancer Center, to discuss the critical role of genetic testing in pancreatic cancer. Since becoming part of the standard of care in 2018, genetic testing is now recommended for all pancreatic cancer patients.

Jessica, a genetic counselor specializing in pancreatic cancer, explains why patients should get tested, how genetic counselors guide patients through the testing process, and addresses common fears and misconceptions. Learn how to navigate conversations with family members about inherited risk and what genetic test results...

In Episode 8 we continue our discussion of pancreatic cancer surgery. Host Alisyn Camerota welcomes Dr. Nipun Merchant, Chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, in Miami, Florida, to learn more about the evolution of surgical techniques for pancreatic cancer.

Dr. Merchant explains the differences between open surgery, minimally invasive laparoscopic procedures, and robotic surgery, and shares how surgeons determine the best approach for each patient and tumor. He also outlines the additional surgeries that may be part of comprehensive pancreatic cancer treatment.

Links:

Let's Win Pancreatic Cancer

Join host Alisyn Camerota as she sits down with Dr. Niraj Gusani, a board-certified surgical oncologist at Baptist MD Anderson Cancer Center in Jacksonville, Florida, to discuss the role of surgery in pancreatic cancer treatment. In this episode, we learn how doctors determine if a patient is a candidate for curative surgery, the impact of tumor location on surgical approach, and dive deep into the two main procedures: the Whipple procedure for tumors in the head of the pancreas and distal pancreatectomy for tumors in the tail. Dr. Gusani also explains why many patients receive chemotherapy before surgery and...

How do doctors decide when to use standard chemotherapy, explore immunotherapy, or recommend a clinical trial? In this episode of PancChat, host Alisyn Camerota speaks with Dr. Andrew Hendifar about how tumor sequencing, genetic testing, and emerging KRAS-targeted therapies are reshaping pancreatic cancer care. They discuss the challenges patients face navigating clinical trials, why timing and advocacy are critical, and why — despite the daunting diagnosis — there’s more reason for hope today than ever before.

Dr. Andrew Hendifar heads the Gastrointestinal Disease Research Group and founded their Hematology and Oncology Fellowship Program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los An...

When facing a pancreatic cancer diagnosis, patients and families are often met with difficult choices. In this episode of PancChat, host Alisyn Camerota speaks with Dr. Michael Pishvaian about what “standard of care” really means, the role of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, and why clinical trials remain such a critical -- yet underutilized -- option. Together, they unpack the treatment options and barriers to clinical trials.

Dr. Michael Pishvaian is the director of Gastrointestinal, Developmental Therapeutics, and Clinical Research Programs for the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center in the Greater Washington D.C. area and an associate prof...

Who should be screened for pancreatic cancer, and when should it start? 

In this episode of PancChat, host Alisyn Camerota speaks with leading experts Dr. Michael Goggins (Johns Hopkins) and Dr. Anirban Maitra (MD Anderson / NYU Langone) about identifying higher-risk individuals and creating personalized surveillance plans.

From genetic mutations like BRCA to family history, pancreatic cysts, and new-onset diabetes — the doctors break down what puts someone at increased risk — and how that translates into screening recommendations. They discuss the importance of working with specialized centers, the role of annual MRIs and endoscopic ultrasounds, and why s...

In this episode of PancChat, host Alisyn Camerota is joined by Dr. Michael Goggins and Dr. Anirban Maitra for an in-depth discussion about the risk factors for pancreatic cancer. Together, explore lifestyle, inherited, and disease-related risks, explain how genetics and new-onset diabetes may signal increased vulnerability, and share proactive steps listeners can take to manage their risk.

Whether you’re a healthcare provider, a patient, or simply interested in cancer prevention, this conversation offers valuable insights and actionable guidance for early detection and monitoring. Tune in to learn more about the latest research and resources available from Le...

In this episode of PancChat, host Alisyn Camerota speaks with Dr. Anna Berkenblit, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer at PanCAN, and Dr. Allyson Ocean of Weill Cornell, co-founder of Let’s Win and chair of its Scientific Advisory Board.

They discuss the current state of pancreatic cancer treatment, including promising developments in KRAS inhibitors and cancer vaccines, as well as the practical challenges patients face in accessing clinical trials. 

The conversation also explores how advocacy, research, and early detection efforts are shaping the future of care.

 For more information, visit letswinpc.org and panc...

Welcome to the PancChat Podcast! Journalist Alisyn Camerota sits down with Let’s Win CEO Cindy Price Gavin and PanCAN President and CEO Julie Fleshman  in the premiere episode of PancChat. Together, they explore the evolution and impact of advocacy in the fight against pancreatic cancer and why the time was right to launch a collaborative podcast between Let’s Win and PanCAN.

From our nearly nine years as a chat on Twitter/X to increasing federal research funding and improved patient survival rates, this episode explores how advocacy has transformed the landscape. Hear how c...