New Frontiers: Inside AACR’s 2026 Pancreatic Cancer Conference

From breakthrough therapies to earlier detection and more inclusive research, Lustgarten is shaping the future of pancreatic cancer research.

In the article:

• Building on Breakthroughs in RAS-Targeted Therapies
• From Early Detection to Cancer Interception
• Investing in Overlooked Research
• Shaping the Future Through Collaboration
• What Comes Next Matters

Pancreatic cancer research has entered a new era. Decades of scientific discovery, sustained investment, and collaboration have made breakthroughs once thought impossible a reality. Now, researchers are leveraging that progress to develop more effective treatments and innovative technologies.  

The momentum, and excitement surrounding it, was palpable at the 2026 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Conference on Pancreatic Cancer: New Frontiers in Biology and Therapeutic Development, held September 25–28 in San Diego, California. As one of the meeting’s lead supporters, the Lustgarten Foundation joined more than 600 researchers and clinicians representing 41 states and 18 countries to examine emerging discoveries, confront persistent scientific challenges, and chart the next steps for the field.

BUILDING ON BREAKTHROUGHS IN RAS-TARGETED THERAPIES

The development and rapidly evolving landscape of RAS-targeted therapies has transformed the possibilities for treating pancreatic cancer. With the recent FDA approval of Rasonque™ (daraxonrasib), researchers are turning their attention to the next critical questions: Why do some tumors stop responding to treatment, and how can we make treatments work better for longer?

During the opening keynote, Andrew Aguirre, MD, PhD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, discussed findings from the Conquering KRAS for Patients with Pancreatic Cancer TeamLab, supported by Lustgarten and Break Through Cancer in partnership with Revolution Medicines. By analyzing tumor biopsies collected before and during treatment, researchers are gaining insights into how pancreatic tumors respond to RAS inhibition and develop resistance. These findings are informing new strategies, including combinations with chemotherapy and immunotherapy.

Other presentations examined ways to strengthen immune responses and advance targeted therapies into earlier stages of disease. For patients, the implications are significant.

FROM EARLY DETECTION TO CANCER INTERCEPTION

What if pancreatic cancer could be stopped before it develops?

As new treatments emerge, researchers are exploring the possibility of intervening prior to the development of pancreatic cancer. Known as cancer interception, this approach aims to interrupt the disease before it becomes invasive, potentially changing the course of care.

At this year’s meeting, innovative strategies demonstrated how cancer interception could move from concept to clinical application:

• Ben Stanger, MD, PhD, University of Pennsylvania, shared preclinical research demonstrating how KRAS inhibition can reduce precancerous lesions and delay pancreatic tumor development in mouse models.
• Daniel King, MD, PhD, Northwell Health, shared efforts to use clinical data to identify patients who may benefit from earlier evaluation and intervention.

Additional discussions examined KRAS-targeted vaccines and methods to prevent precancerous changes from progressing to invasive cancer. Together, these approaches point toward a future in which pancreatic cancer care becomes increasingly proactive.

INVESTING IN RESEARCH THAT HAS BEEN OVERLOOKED

Scientific progress depends on asking important questions, especially those that have historically received too little attention.

One of the conference’s anticipated sessions, Nina Steele, PhD, University of Cincinnati, reported on Lustgarten-funded research examining racial disparities in pancreatic cancer. Black Americans are approximately 20% more likely to develop the disease than White Americans yet represented just 1.7% of patient samples in the single-cell datasets analyzed by Steele’s team. Her findings also revealed differences in tumor cell states and immune cell interactions across patient populations, offering new insights that could inform more personalized treatments for pancreatic cancer.

Investing in historically hard-to-fund science is fundamental to Lustgarten’s unique research portfolio and to our commitment to patients—because meaningful impact must reflect the diversity of the pancreatic cancer community.

SHAPING THE FUTURE THROUGH COLLABORATION

The breadth of research presented speaks to the remarkable evolution of the field. Scientists are drawing on expertise in cancer biology, immunology, artificial intelligence, genetics, and clinical medicine to approach pancreatic cancer from new perspectives.

But as new therapies emerge, so do complex questions about clinical trial design, patient selection, and translating laboratory discoveries into effective treatments. Addressing these challenges requires collaboration across disciplines and institutions.

Through initiatives like the LABS (Lustgarten Advancing Breakthrough Science) Program, Clinical Accelerator Initiative, and strategic partnerships, the Foundation is building the infrastructure needed to anticipate barriers and adapt as the science evolves.

WHAT COMES NEXT MATTERS

The 2026 AACR Pancreatic Cancer Conference showcased unprecedented progress while reinforcing the work ahead, and the sustained investment needed to support continued momentum.

In fiscal year 2026, the Lustgarten Foundation awarded $22.8 million in new research funding, an $8.6 million increase over the previous year. As the world’s largest private funder of pancreatic cancer research, Lustgarten is not just investing in scientific advances. We are at the table defining what comes next.

Explore Lustgarten’s Research.