A new clinical trial is on the cards to help those with pancreatic cancer.

Just eight percent of New Zealanders diagnosed with pancreatic cancer live longer than five years.

The method has been effective against lung and prostate tumours.

Gut Cancer Foundation boss Liam Willis told Mike Hosking they'll be trying out stereotactic radiotherapy, which has been proven useful against other types of tumours.

“It's able to specifically target cancer cells as opposed to widespread radiation, which means it can be administered in a higher dose.”

Willis says only 10 percent are diagnosed early enough for surgery.

He says they're trying to reduce the tumour enough to allow surgery, which is the only cure for pancreatic cancer.

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