BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) - Alex Trebek's shocking announcement on Wednesday that he has Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer has us asking cancer doctors about the disease.
Dr. Christos Fountzilas, a medical oncologist at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, told us that the two most common types of pancreatic cancer are called adenocarcinoma and neuroendocrine cancer. The person who has the former only has a short-term outlook, with survival expected for only a few months. A person who has the latter can live for several more years. However, Fountzilas noted that both are incurable.
"Pancreatic cancer is a major public health threat," Fountzilas said. "Right now, it's the sixth of seventh leading cancer. But if you look long term, it's going to be the second-leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States by 2030. We're talking about a very significant health problem."
Screening for pancreatic cancer is primarily determined on family genetics.
"Most of the pancreatic adenocarcinmoas are related to familiar inheritance," Dr. Tessa Faye Flores of Roswell Park added. "If you have a first-degree relative, whether it's a mother, father, sister, brother, offspring, if they have pancreatic cancer they can be screened. If they themselves have a genetic mutation and a first-degree relative they can be screened."
One sign that someone may have pancreatic cancer is if they develop diabetes and are losing weight instead of gaining weight.
Trebek did not reveal the type of cancer that he has though he quipped in a social media video post that he has to beat the low-survival rate of the disease because he has three years remaining on his Jeopardy! contract.
"Help me," Trebek pleaded in the video post. "Keep the faith and we'll win. We'll get it done."
Learn more about pancreatic cancer by visiting Roswell Park's website
