Ex-Sen. Sasse Reports 76% Tumor Reduction on 60 Minutes

Former U.S. Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska shared an emotional account of his stage 4 pancreatic cancer diagnosis and its unexpected extension during a recent CBS "60 Minutes" interview with Scott Pelley, crediting a clinical trial drug, faith, and family as he reflected on life's priorities and Congress's shortcomings.

Diagnosed in mid-December with cancer that had metastasized to his lungs, liver, vascular system, and other sites, Sasse was given a three- to four-month prognosis. He described the illness as initially causing severe pain, including tumors pressing on his spine. Now 54, Sasse reported a 76 percent reduction in tumor volume over four months and significantly less pain, attributing the improvement to daraxonrasib, an experimental drug from Revolution Medicines that blocks a defective gene signal promoting uncontrolled cell growth. The company recently announced that similar patients survived a median of 13 months on the treatment, compared to six months with chemotherapy. "Maybe I'll live a year instead of a handful of months, and I feel incredibly blessed," Sasse said.

A Republican who served from 2014 to 2023, Sasse was recruited from his role as Midland...