Steve Jobs had a very survivable form but he made the fatal mistake of not following his doctor’s recommendations. By the time he did listen to his doctor it was too late.
Non specific symptoms...major reason for difficulty of treatment. Had a friend who died from it. Inoperable. Only symptoms: dark urine, and recent diagnosis of diabetes. Then collapses and diagnosed with pancreatic can. Not a smoker, but not a heavy drinker either. Strong family history of cancer in family. 5/6 of family had cancer and died.
Perhaps, epidemiologists should monitor high risk patients for telltale signs and symptoms to see if the ca could be caught early.
A horrible awful disease. MIL died of it in her late 60s. Her twin sister also died of it. MIL’s kids live in terror everyday with the realization that they have a greater chance of getting it than someone who doesn’t have a family history. Wouldn’t wish it on anyone. I would say except liberals but I can’t even joke about it it’s so horrible.
I would say brain cancer is the worst. My friends husband went from diagnoses to death in only 2 weeks. One day he started acting confused and he was diagnosed with glioblastoma. Same thing happened a few years later to this woman I worked with who chain smoked, always out in the warehouse smoking. She started complaining of headaches and less than a month she was gone.
I’m 60 and still smoke like a chimney and drink whiskey and beer on weekends which is utterly insane. I also eat crap, have a gut and don’t exercise. I drive a truck long distance which is asking for a heart attack sitting down all day. I can’t imagine making it to 70, and at this point even if I quit all that, the damage is done isn’t it. I don’t have any health insurance thanks to the “affordable” care act so if I ever got the C, I think I would just make preparations for the afterlife.
Also the pancreas is deep in the abdomen and one of the few organs that is not encapsulated. (it has no outer covering). combine that with the fact it literally sits on top major nerves (the celiac plexus) and is very close to major blood vessels including the aorta and you have the reason it is rarely resectable by the time it is discovered.
If it is determined to be resectable the operation is called a Whipple procedure, one of the most complex and complication prone surgeries one can undergo. In the hands of an experienced surgeon one can expect 1-2 major complications in the post op course and a prolonged hospitalization. In short one of the nastiest diseases there is.
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He had a long and painful recovery, with plenty of complications.
That was a year ago. Before his diagnosis he was all work. These days he spends most weekends kayaking, camping and sailing.
I guess it changed his perspective.
40 to 50 Years ago pancreatic cancer was considered rare. I recall being told that it was a rare opportunity to see a case.
Two relatives by marriage currently have it. One late seventies and a niece in her 50s. Both have had it at least 2 to 3 years and are in terminal treatment.
Gallbladder cancer is deadlier.
RBG survived for quite a few years. Hmmm.
We lost a friend to this in March. It’s a horrible disease.
RIP, Max.
L
My wife’s brother in law went from fishing under the Verrazano Bridge to being dead in two weeks. That’s what pancreatic cancer can do.
The guy in Dirty Dancing film died of pancreatic cancer. He had fame, looks and money but not enough to save him from the terrible disease.
Has anyone noticed that cancer only happens in cells and organs which produce proteins? Cancer is a mutation of the cellular energy process. It is not a disease of cellular DNA.
I know four people in the past ten years in my tight circle of friends. Three are gone, one in treatment for a year now. All were heavy beer drinkers, cheap beer in cans. I always thought that was the common denominator.
ping for future reference
There is a new possible “kill shot” for pancreatic cancer
Thank you for posting.