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Breakthrough lung cancer treatment
FOX 13's Jennifer Kveglis reports.
TAMPA, Fla. - Jorge Manchola, a retired Air Force staff sergeant, was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in 2023. The cancer had spread to his lungs and brain, leaving him in constant pain and unable to walk.
Doctors even discovered Manchola had a rare and aggressive mutation of the cancer, known as "KRAS G12D," which affects about 2% of lung cancer patients and is more commonly found in those who have never smoked.
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Pictured: Jorge Manchola.
After his body could no longer tolerate chemotherapy, the former Lauderhill police officer and avid cyclist was referred to Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa in late 2024. It's where doctors had just launched a new Phase One clinical trial targeting the specific mutation Manchola has.
How does the clinical trial work?
What we know:
The trial drug, which is an oral pill called "Zoldonrasib," is designed to attack cancer cells with the KRAS G12D mutation while sparing healthy tissue.
Pictured: Dr. Tawee Tanvetyanon with Moffitt Cancer Center.
Dr. Tawee Tanvetyanon, Manchola's oncologist, said the precision of the drug helps limit the severe side effects often associated with traditional cancer treatments.
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Why you should care:
Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S., and treatments targeting specific genetic mutations represent a growing shift toward personalized medicine, offering new options for patients who previously had few or none.
Pictured: Jorge Manchola.
Moffitt is now treating hundreds of patients as part of the clinical trial, and researchers hope the drug could eventually gain FDA approval, expanding access nationwide.
What's next:
Researchers will continue monitoring patient outcomes as the clinical trial progresses. If results remain positive, Zoldonrasib could move closer to FDA approval, potentially changing treatment options for lung cancer patients with the KRAS G12D mutation.
Jorge Manchola's cancer journey
Pictured: Jorge Manchola.
What they're saying:
Within months of starting the medication, Manchola’s pain eased and his mobility returned. He said the treatment gave him his life back — and his bike.
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After resuming cycling, he completed multiple 100-mile rides in 2025 — something he once believed would never be possible again.
His message to others facing cancer: "Just keep going. Don’t give up. Life is precious."
The Source: This article is based on interviews conducted by FOX 13 News with lung cancer patient Jorge Manchola and his medical oncologist, Dr. Tawee Tanvetyanon, at Moffitt Cancer Center, along with reporting from FOX 13’s Jennifer Kveglis.