Alex Trebek announces he has stage 4 pancreatic cancer

[babylonsister]

https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/06/entertainment/alex-trebek-pancreatic-cancer/index.html?fbclid=IwAR23sAFJh15B3xxy2gPJVc855xCFWI9zUStp8dC-bZQCmBdus2S__G1UKYY

Alex Trebek announces he has stage 4 pancreatic cancer
By Sandra Gonzalez, CNN
Updated 5:32 PM ET, Wed March 6, 2019


(CNN)"Jeopardy" host Alex Trebek is hoping for a victory as he wages a battle against cancer.
The longtime game show host on Wednesday announced he's been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in a video posted to the show's official YouTube account.

"Now, normally, the prognosis for this is not very encouraging, but I'm going to fight this. And I'm going to keep working and with the love and support of my family and friends -- and with the help of your prayers also -- I plan to beat the low survival rate statistics for this disease," he said.

Sony Pictures Television, which produces the show, did not immediately return CNN's request for comment.

Pancreatic cancer, on average and across all stages, has a 5-year survival rate of 9%, according to the American Cancer Society.

Trebek has hosted "Jeopardy" since 1984, when the show began airing daily in syndication.

He's known for his quick wit and sense of humor, which was on display in his announcement, despite the somber message at its center.

"Truth told, I have to [keep hosting] because under the terms of my contract, I have to host 'Jeopardy' for three more years," he joked. "So help me. Keep the faith, and we'll win. We'll get it done."

[mobeau69]

1. Terrible news.

[FakeNoose]

2. Oh no!

Very sad news. Hope and healing thoughts to Mr. Trebek. Hang in there buddy.

[malaise]

3. How did doctors miss this last year when he had a heart attack?

I don't get it

[babylonsister]

6. My uncle died of

pancreatic cancer. Wasn't diagnosed for almost a year (by the VA) because he was told it is so hard to get to.

[malaise]

7. This one hit me

Jeopardy is my favorite program and has been from the Art Fleming days.
Hope they recruit a new host from the team tournament group.

[Boomerproud]

12. My favorite too Malaise.

He has a great support system so I hope that makes the difference. Healing light Mr. Trebek.

[Kurt V.]

11. Pancreatic cancer is very hard to detect bc of its location in our body. my mom wasn't diagnosed

until she was phase 4 also.

[Kurt V.]

14. stage 4 not phase 4.

[malaise]

17. One of my doctor friends just explained

No wonder it takes poeople out so fast - by the time they discover it, it's usually too late.

[TexasBushwhacker]

25. Yup, not unlike ovarian cancer.

Symptoms are subtle and it is isn't usually diagnosed until it's advanced. They only caught RBG's early because they were doing a follow up on her colon cancer. It 's quite curable if caught early, but it rarely is. Michael Landon and Patrick Swayze were both diagnosed with Stage 4. PC.

Steve Jobs had a rare, less aggressive form, but tried treating with alternative medicine for almost a year. We know how that worked out.

[uponit7771]

35. +1

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

4. Sending out positive vibes to Alex!!

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[Gothmog]

5. I am praying for a recovery for Alex

This is not a nice form of cancer

[malaise]

8. I wish him peace and comfort

Sadly, there is no recovery from pancreatic cancer

[Zoonart]

28. Yeah...me too.

Jeopardy was always family time in my house. We had a lot of fun with Alex over the years.

[malaise]

29. I have one nephew who watches every night

because even when he and his brother were little boys, I insisted that Jeopardy was on the TV Monday to Friday.
As they became teenagers, one of the neighborhood kids told me I was the reason he was taking school seriously because I knew stuff. I think he fell in love with my chocolate chip cookies before he loved Jeopardy. He's finishing up his PhD now .

[Zoonart]

30. There is literally no counting how

Many people have been influenced by watching Jeopardy. It, and Alex, are cultural icons. This is very sad news indeed.

[malaise]

32. As nolabear wrote

he makes it cool to be smart - that matters.

[Initech]

9. Vibes for $500!

[malaise]

19. I'll make that a true Daily Double

[Xolodno]

10. Stage 4

...is usually a death sentence. Think I would just call it a life and spend what time I had to the fullest.

[Kurt V.]

15. 1% survival rate. just live life to the fullest at that point. my mom decided to take treatment on

sisters insistence. a point of contention between us.

[Xolodno]

23. My father and an extended family member were diagnosed with Stage 4

...Lung Cancer. Non-Smokers.

My father might of had a chance, we don't know. It was going to be determined on an operation to remove the growth...of which he couldn't afford. Five months later when we raised the funds...it was too late, it spread to his brain.

He believed he would survive....so, he went through the treatments with the encouragement of the rest of my siblings. The money probably would have been better spent in him doing some travel he wanted, making him comfortable in his, finally, retirement...and he did just retire (one of the reasons why I plan to semi-retire in about 8 years).

The extended cousin...was in his 30's. Again, couldn't afford treatment....but a good Go Fund Me campaign, got him the funds and he went to Germany for an experimental treatment. Really felt sorry for the guy, in addition to the usual Cancer treatment, plus experimental, his family was pushing him to do all kinds of quackery. Guy was consuming a ton of wheat grass, jogging his heart out, etc. But it didn't help and he passed on.

But yeah, a Stage 4 diagnosis means get out there and do what you want.

[TexasBushwhacker]

26. Yeah, I would say keep me comfortable

and try to enjoy what little time I have left.

[kentuck]

13. ALEX IS AN ICON

there are so few of them.

[Liberal In Texas]

16. Oh no, this is terrible news.

My brother died of pancreatic cancer, it is an awful disease and can take you pretty quickly.

[nolabear]

18. He's made it cool to be smart. Kick its ass, Alex.

[Aristus]

20. My father died of pancreatic cancer. It's one of the nastiest forms of the disease.

I hope he recovers.

[Ms. Toad]

21. Notorious RBG - 9 years and counting.

Hope the same for Alex Trebek.

[Brother Buzz]

22. Total bummer, but interesting enough, Alex has been campaigning for a fellow hockey enthusiast....

Alex Faust, to take is place. Apparently he's a hockey sportscaster LA Kings, sharp as a tack, and under thirty.

[malaise]

33. Could work

[Brother Buzz]

36. Trebek's interview with TMZ caught Alex Faust by surprise

Link to tweet

Even money says, if it come to fruition, Faust could do both gigs.

[Glimmer of Hope]

24. Oh no! Top medical care can make a difference.

I had a co-worker whose father with pancreatic cancer was given very little time but Johns Hopkins gave him a year.

[Dorian Gray]

27. This news made my stomach drop

I hope he can beat it. Unlikely, but there's always hope and he had a great attitude about it.

[KWR65]

31. He should retire and travel

The same thing was said by Steve Jobs.

[Brother Buzz]

39. He's 78 and was penciled in to retire in 2020

I'll miss him horribly, but I'd be fine if he packed it in now.

FWIW, he only works 46 days a year filming Jeopardy!, so I suspect he's done a bit of traveling over the years.

[putinwork]

34. Positive thoughts

and comfort for Mr. Trebek. Cancer sucks

[gopiscrap]

40. welcome to DU

[Staph]

37. I was on Jeopardy earlier this year.

I won't say when, as I'd rather not have my DU identity tied to the real me.

This news was a gut punch to me. Alex was so nice to the contestants and the audience, too, taking questions during the commercial breaks while recording. I stuck around after my game, and Alex spoke to me for a moment. Apparently, most losing contestants leave immediately after their games, but I wanted the full experience, and that surprised him.

I have a picture of Alex and me. I'm so thankful that I got to be on the show while he was still the host.

[JohnnyLib2]

38. DAMN cancer

--As said by a pastor at a funeral we attended. I wanted to cheer.