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Steve Jobs' death brings attention to pancreatic cancer

11/07/11

Following the death of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs after a battle with pancreatic cancer, researchers are examining the disease and why it is so deadly, CNN reported.

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of death from cancer in the United States after lung, colon and breast cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute. Experts say that about 95 percent of the people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer die from it.

Steve Jobs was diagnosed with a rare form of pancreatic cancer called a neuroendocrine tumor, CNN stated. In addition to Jobs, Patrick Swayze, Joan Crawford, Margaret Mead and Luciano Pavarotti all died from a more common form of pancreatic cancer called adenocarcinoma.

"Right now, pancreatic cancer is getting publicity, but it's a neglected disease," Dr. Michaela Banck, medical oncologist at the Mayo Clinic, told CNN. "It doesn't draw the same attention as colon cancer and breast cancer. Activist groups raise small amounts of money, since it's a rare disease. It's a complicated disease. We don't have enough money to make progress as fast as we'd like to."

The average age of individuals diagnosed with pancreatic cancer is 72, with 90 percent of those diagnosed being 55 or older, the National Cancer Institute reported.

The source also reported that pancreatic cancer is only treatable through removal by surgery if it has not spread throughout the body, but alarming statistics related to the disease stress the importance of Americans securing life insurance to plan for the future.

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