Rickman's Legacy
- Alan Rickman was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in August 2015 following a stroke; the actor passed soon after in January 2016.
- Many of Rickman’s films stand the test of time, particularly his “Christmas-y” movies like Love Actually and Die Hard.
- Early detection of pancreatic cancer is critical for treating the disease.
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Rickman’s Pancreatic Cancer
Rickman had a stroke in August 2015, which led him to seek medical care. Following the stroke, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The cancer progressed quickly, and Rickman passed months later in January 2016. He was only 69.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) says that this year, approximately 57,600 people will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The disease has a slightly higher rate of occurrence in men than in women. Risk factors for pancreatic cancer that can be changed include tobacco use, being overweight, diabetes, and inflammation of the pancreas (which is typically caused from smoking or alcohol consumption).
Challenges to Screening for Pancreatic Cancer
Early Detection of Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer is often an aggressive disease, so early detection of it is crucial. Dr. Anirban Maitra, Co-Leader of the Pancreatic Cancer Moon Shot at MD Anderson Cancer Center, said in an earlier interview, "Because the pancreas is inside the abdomen, it often doesn't have symptoms that would tell you that something is wrong with your pancreas. 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."
When the disease is detected earlier, however, a wider number of treatment options may exist. “Each year in the United States, about 53,000 patients get pancreatic cancer," said Dr. Maitra. "And unfortunately, most will die from this disease within a few months to a year or so from the diagnosis. And the reason for that is that most individuals, about 80%, will actually present with what we called advanced disease, which means that the cancer has either spread beyond the pancreas or into other organs like the liver, and so you cannot take it out with surgeries."
Detecting Pancreatic Cancer Early Is Crucial
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