Ben Sasse Reports 76% Tumor Reduction in Cancer Trial

Former U.S. Senator Ben Sasse revealed in a candid interview this week that his stage IV metastatic pancreatic cancer has shown significant improvement through experimental treatment, even as he confronts its terminal nature and the emotional weight it places on his family.

Sasse, 54, who represented Nebraska in the Senate from 2015 to 2023 before serving as president of the University of Florida until July 2024, shared his experiences during a discussion with columnist Ross Douthat for The New York Times podcast "Interesting Times," recorded in Austin, Texas, and published on April 9. He received the diagnosis in mid-December 2023 after experiencing severe back pain while training for sprint triathlons the previous fall. Scans conducted on December 13 or 14 at the University of Florida detected widespread tumors, leading to further evaluation by a gastroenterologist. "Here's a hard fact: Ben Sasse's torso is chock-full of tumors," Sasse recalled the doctor telling him bluntly during a phone call.

Medical professionals determined the cancer, originating in the pancreas, had metastasized to multiple sites, including areas associated with lymphoma, vascular issues, lung and liver...