Despite a discouraging prognosis, advocates for pancreatic cancer patients say Canadian-born “Jeopardy!†host Alex Trebek could beat the disease.
The game show host vowed Wednesday in a YouTube video that he would fight the illness. He was diagnosed earlier this week with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer.
“I plan to beat the low survival rate statistics,†he said. Generally, the cancer will have spread to other parts of the body at this stage, typically the liver, lungs and bones.
Among those cheering on Trebek is Dr. Michael Clarfield, a sports medicine specialist with Cleveland Clinic Canada. Clarfield was diagnosed with Stage 2 pancreatic cancer more than a decade ago.
“When you get diagnosed, it catches you by surprise,†he said.
Like many in the early stages of pancreatic cancer, Clarfield’s symptoms didn’t amount to much.
“I had some vague back pain, some vague fatigue,†he recalled.
Tests uncovered the tumor on Clarfield’s pancreas. Doctors surgically removed the entire organ, causing him to become diabetic. But Clarfield says it’s a small price for surviving an otherwise fatal disease.
“The long-term prognosis has not changed a whole lot,†he said.
He is now part of an advocacy group pushing for more attention and more funding for research in a crowded field.
“Unless we get more research and find more ways to deal with this terrible disease, in a few years’ time, it will be the number 1 or number 2 killer of all cancers in North America,†he said.
Because there is no test to locate pancreatic cancer in its early stages, advocates say the best line of defense is to make Canadians aware of the disease and to encourage physicians to send patients for further tests if they exhibit even vague symptoms.
In hopes of raising awareness, Pancreatic Cancer Canada has launched through its campaign describing the vague symptoms of the disease.
In the videos, people share their stories of inconspicuous symptoms to illustrate how they are often brushed off as normal. “I was tired, but to be honest with you I assumed that was because I was 41 and I have a 2-year-old,†says one woman in the video, who was later diagnosed with the disease.
pain in the abdomen or back, loss of appetite or sudden weight loss, diabetes later in life, jaundice, overall skin itch, changes in stool colour, diarrhea and constipation.
Treatments are few
In 2017, researchers at Toronto’s University Health Network expanded a trial program for a technology called Irreversible Electroporation (IRE), or “NanoKnife.†The cancer treatment, previously used for liver tumours, allows doctors to perform minimally invasive operations to shrink a tumour without damaging other tissues. It is estimated that the study will be completed in September 2021.
But despite a few advancements like the NanoKnife, there have been no major breakthroughs in treating the disease -- and that’s unacceptable, says to Michelle Cappobianco, executive director of the Pancreatic Cancer Canada advocacy group.
“Forty years ago, if you were given diagnosis like Alex Trebek, they would have told you the exact same thing as they tell you today, and there have been virtually no changes,†she said.
“I want people to stop accepting the reality of the disease and demand better.â€
A small percentage of patients may qualify for surgery. “Surgery is an option, either a partial or a full removal of your pancreas,†she said. “You will then go on a regime of drugs for the rest of your life, but you can survive it.â€
Though only a portion of those with the cancer can have surgery, Capobianco suspects that Trebek may be one of them.
Capobianco also said Trebek has the “kind of attitude that you need to fight this disease.â€
“I would not bet against Alex Trebek,†she said.
You can live without a pancreas
The organ, which is in the abdomen behind the stomach, is vital to regulating blood sugar levels in the body. Capobianco said without one, you “basically instantly become a diabetic.†Patients take daily medications, some administered via needles, but they can live without a pancreas.
“There are 20- and 25-year survivors around the world,†she said. “We’re very proud to have an 11-year survivor on our board as a matter of fact.â€
More research is needed
Research into improved treatment options is especially needed for pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic Cancer Canada is working to train doctors about the need for CT scans that allow for earlier diagnosis.
“That’s the key to overall survival,†said Capobianco.
Generally, research into the illness is at the stage where breast cancer was decades ago.
“We are desperate for more people to be brave and speak up like Alex Trebek about the disease and the need for more money for research and more treatments,†she said.
