The pancreas, the cancer and Steve Jobs

Source: TheStarOnline
......
Steve Jobs had a rare form of pancreatic cancer called an islet cell neuroendocrine tumour.
The statements attributed to him about his cancer cure seven years ago is mere speculation from the press, as Jobs kept a very tight lid on his illness. But it’s possible that his cancer had either returned, or spread, which accounted for his liver transplant in 2009.

It is very likely that his cancer had further spread, or his new liver had failed. That is why he died. Perhaps more detail will emerge in time to come.

How did Jobs manage to live so long with pancreatic cancer, but Patrick Swayze didn’t?
Jobs had cancer of the pancreatic islet cells. If treated, some people with this disease can live as long as 20 to 30 years.
Swayze had a more common type of pancreatic cancer called adenocarcinoma, one that involved the pancreatic duct cells. The survival for Swayze’s type of cancer is only a few years at best.
......
How do you treat pancreatic cancer?
This will depend on whether your tumour is benign or malignant.

The trouble with most pancreatic cancers is that they present very late, especially in Malaysia.
They are difficult to diagnose most of the time because the symptoms the pancreas throws out are non-specific – like fatigue, malaise, loss of appetite, loss of weight.
And when you find out, it’s usually very late.
In this aspect, it’s usually better to have a functioning islet cell tumour that alerts you by throwing out hormones. Then you will have symptoms according to the hormones that are excessively thrown out, and you will seek treatment much earlier. Tumours are removed by surgery. If the cancer cells have spread to the liver, a portion of the liver has to be excised.
Chemotherapy and various targeted therapies are then used to shrink the rest of the tumour.

Read more here:
https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/health/2011/10/12/the-pancreas-and-cancer/

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