Posted on 04/07/2005 1:52:05 PM PDT by Hillary's Lovely Legs
Peter Jennings' lung cancer, which he disclosed Tuesday on ABC World News Tonight, may be in an advanced stage, a local expert on the disease says.
Most patients don't have their conditions diagnosed until the cancer is "so advanced that it can't be cured by surgery, and the patient has a poor chance of long-term survival," says Rita Axelrod of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital's Kimmel Center.
Details of Jennings' condition haven't been disclosed, but his hoarse voice and the fact that he isn't having surgery immediately "suggests he could be in at least stage III" of lung cancer, says Axelrod, director of pulmonary medical oncology.
In stage III, life expectancy for lung-cancer patients is 12 to 18 months, with less than 9 percent living for five years after their diagnosis, according to Axelrod.
Jennings, 66, World News anchor since 1983, shocked his ABC colleagues - and the broadcast world - by revealing in a staff e-mail Tuesday morning that the cancer had been diagnosed the previous day.
He said that he would begin outpatient chemotherapy next week, and that he would anchor when his health permits. Good Morning America's Charlie Gibson and Elizabeth Vargas of 20/20, among others, will fill in.
Jennings had planned to anchor World News Tuesday, but changed his mind late in the day due to a weak voice. Looking thin, he told viewers his news in a taped segment at the end of the broadcast.
Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer in the United States, with roughly four out of five people who have the disease dying within five years, Axelrod says.
The five leading causes: "Smoking, smoking, smoking, smoking and smoking."
Jennings, once described by a colleague as a "relentless smoker," says he quit 20 years ago but started again during the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Nightline's Ted Koppel "was always goading Peter to quit," says Bob Zelnick, chairman of Boston University's journalism department and an ABC correspondent from '77 to '98.
"Sometimes Peter was like a kid, smoking in the bathroom or stealing a cigarette in the hallway," Zelnick says. "At one point, he went to a hypnotist to try to get control of it."
The traditional course of chemo for lung cancer is in cycles of three to four weeks, Axelrod says.
Some people "actually do very well. They're able to work and enjoy life... . They only need to take a few days off at a time."
Meanwhile, the abcnews.com message board has been flooded with good wishes for Jennings, ABC News' Jeffrey Schneider says.
Jennings joined Wednesday in World News' daily 9 a.m. editorial conference call and spoke throughout the day with exec producer Jon Banner, but he didn't anchor last night.
In the wings. Though ABC has no succession plan in place for Jennings, news division chief David Westin has the luxury of a deep bench.
Gibson, 62, and Vargas, 42, already designated subs, would be on any short list. Vargas is considered a fast-tracker at the network.
Other possibilities: chief White House correspondent Terry Moran and World News Saturday anchor Bob Woodruff.
If ABC decides to go with network evening news' first solo woman, GMA's Diane Sawyer, 59, is the logical choice, says CBS Evening News interim anchor Bob Schieffer.
"I have no idea whether she would want to leave GMA, but she's always been the one I would have thought was the strongest woman anchor right now in television, and she works for ABC."
Since Tom Brokaw stepped down Dec. 1, Jennings has brought World News close to the top-rated NBC Nightly News in the Nielsen wars. (CBS Evening News remains a distant third.)
With CBS's Dan Rather having stepped down March 9, ABC is perfectly poised to make a move. Its promo for Jennings says it all: "Trust is earned."
I'm with you on this. Cousin died recently and those last few months were spent wishing for death from the treatment.
There's another one that probably had at least another good 10 years, even at the age of 79.
That is so flippin' easy for you to say. It scares me but it doesn't make me see how I can successfully quit at this time. I wish I were stable enough that I could. I hope I don't get a smokers disease because the i told you so's are likely to be worse than the disease itself.
how long was he out of work to come back lokking like that?
Dying an early and painful death is a lot worse that 'I told you so'.
Thank you for your kind reply and I am sorry you had to experience such a loss. It's one ugly way to go.
Prayers for Peter.
Smoking, smoking, smoking, smoking and smoking.
What about asbestos?"
What about it? Do have some information that Jennings lived in an asbestos-filled house or do believe that smoking cigarettes doesn't cause lung cancer?
Don't bother. These militant smokers are too busy lecturing everyone else how we're all going to die anyway.
Smoking cigarettes is the dumbest thing anyone can do. It robs you of your quality of life and steals precious years from time that could be enjoyed with the grand kids.
Jennings smoked asbestos? Wow, I didn't even know it would burn, he must be really tough.
Asbestos is best shown related to lung cancer when the ambulance-chasers get involved.
When my late husband was diagnosed with cancer, the docs said by the time they find the cancer it is already too late. My hubby only had radiation because he would have never survived chemo. I feel very sorry for him. I wouldn't wish this on anyone.
I quit using Zyban, 6 years and have 0 desire to smoke. It's not as bad as you think.
But, having watched my father die at age 70 of COPD (brought on by smoking that started when he was 17 and ended when he was 65), I would not wish lung cancer on anyone.
My prayers are with Peter Jennings, his family, and all the docotrs, nurses, medical technicians, chaplains, and others who will be involved in his care.
God loves Peter Jennings just as much as He loves me.
My grandparents all smoked into their 90's. My mother died of lung cancer at 47. She never smoked, drank or was overweight. I don't smoke either.
Carson was almost 80 its not like he died at age 40. Most people would gladly live to 80 and still maintain a high quality of life that Carson enjoyed.
Blaming cigarettes for the death of an 80 year old man isn't going to sway many smokers to give up the habit. Its much better to point to the 50 year olds.
However, he died of esophageal cancer, which has a 95% short-time mortality rate when diagnosed. He died six months after having his lower esophagus and part of his stomach removed.
The surgeon told us that the only people who contract esohageal cancer are smokers and heavy drinkers.
Anybody who smokes after all the stuff that's out there has a death watch.
You've nailed it right there. That is EXACTLY what they would/will say.
They're shutting every other company down for it, and you're telling me it's not worse than tobacco? Give me a break.
Yikes. Death "wish" not death "watch," though maybe that's a proper term too.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.