The problem is that pancreatic cancer usually has no symptoms until it is far advanced. By the time patients complain of pain, unintended weight loss or jaundice — typical symptoms — the tumor tends to be well established. Surgery is followed by chemotherapy to attack microscopic cancer cells that are left behind in the pancreas or are hiding in other organs. For patients whose cancers can be treated with surgery and chemotherapy, the median survival time is 54 months, although on rare occasions patients are cured. Patients with Stage 4 cancer, like Mr. Trebek, are not candidates for surgery, because the cancer has already spread throughout the body.

Source: New York Times March 07, 2019 18:11 UTC