April 24, 2026 / 6:02 PM EDT / CBS News
Ben Sasse says he is “on extended time.” The former Republican U.S. senator from Nebraska was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic pancreatic cancer in December and was initially told he had three or four months to live. He credits “providence, prayer and a miracle drug” — a clinical trial treatment that has shrunk his tumors by 76% — for giving him more time.
The drug, daraxonrasib from Revolution Medicines, is part of a trial that has roughly doubled expected survival for some patients in similar situations: where survival might otherwise be about six months, the treatment has extended average survival to roughly 13 months. Sasse discussed his diagnosis, his family and his faith in an interview with Scott Pelley that airs Sunday on 60 Minutes. More of their conversation will appear in a special edition of “Things That Matter” Sunday night on Paramount+, CBSNews.com, and YouTube.
Sasse also addressed American politics and the state of Congress, criticizing both parties’ long-term visions. “Neither of these parties really have very big or good ideas about 2030 or 2050,” he said, adding, “The Congress is not wrestling with bigger important questions right now.”