The Trebek Effect
- While Alex Trebek, 80, was discussing his pancreatic cancer symptoms on Jeopardy, a viewer realized he also had similar symptoms. He was diagnosed with stage 1 pancreatic cancer.
- The disease is tricky to catch early since symptoms don’t usually present themselves until the cancer has progressed.
- An expert tells SurvivorNet that 80% of pancreatic cancer diagnoses are caught in advanced stages.
During an episode of Jeopardy, Chuck Paulausky, 71, listened to Trebek break down the symptoms he experienced before he was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Paulausky took in his information, and realized he was experience some of the same symptoms such as pain in his upper abdomen and back. He immediately consulted his doctor, and had an ultrasound. The results showed that Paulausky had a tumor on his pancreas, and was diagnosed with stage 1b pancreatic cancer. He underwent chemotherapy for treatment, and thanks to the disease being caught early, entered remission. Thanks to Trebek, Paul is celebrating new milestones with his family.
Read MoreWhy is Pancreatic Cancer Caught Late?
Paulausky is right when he says pancreatic cancer is often caught in the later stages. According to Dr. Anirban Maitra, co-leader of Pancreatic Cancer Moon Shot at MD Anderson Cancer, 80% of pancreatic cancer diagnoses are caught when it has advanced, and that’s what makes it so difficult to treat.
So much of this has to do with screening. Oftentimes, symptoms of the disease don’t present themselves until it has spread to other parts of the body which leads people not realize something is wrong. "By the time individuals walk into the clinic with symptoms like jaundice, weight loss, back pain, or diabetes, it's often very late in the stage of the disease,” Dr. Maitra tells SurvivorNet. Each year in the United States, about 53,000 patients get pancreatic cancer, and unfortunately, most will die from this disease within a few months to a year or so from the diagnosis."
Paulausky was one of the lucky ones, and it’s all thanks to Trebek talking about his own cancer journey. Men sometimes ignore possible cancer symptoms in order to avoid a doctor visit. However, since pancreatic cancer is one of the most difficult cancers to treat, it’s so important to be proactive about your health.
Dr. Anirban Maitra breaks down challenges to pancreatic cancer screening
Sharing Stories
Talking about cancer isn’t, but clearly it can be a life-saving resource for many. Hearing other patients’ and survivors’ stories not only can provide guidance for those newly diagnosed, but help them realize when something is wrong.
Anal cancer survivor Daniel Garza is an advocate who recognizes how valuable sharing your story really is. While going through treatment, he realized that doctors sometimes don’t discuss certain aspects of the process that can help patients prepare. As a result, he wants to help guide fellow cancer warriors throughout their own journey.
“We try to share as much as we can nowadays whenever we find out somebody is going to go through something similar, we try to like share all the information we have,” Daniel tells SurvivorNet. “My body, my brain, my soul, my spirit have been through so much that I want people to know that regardless of what you go through, you can still thrive and survive. Is it easy? No, but it has not been the most difficult thing in my life to be able to keep going.”
Anal cancer survivor Daniel Garza shares his cancer story to help others
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