Les Jones

Tech > Steve Jobs Pancreatic Cancer is a Rarer, but more Survivable Type

Last week I asked why people weren't more concerned with Steve Jobs' having pancreatic cancer, which is a particularly deadly form of cancer. It turns out he has a less common form that's also less deadly. From USA Today - Apple CEO Steve Jobs brings pancreatic cancer to the fore:

Q: What type of tumor does Jobs have?
A: There are several kinds of pancreatic cancer. His tumor reportedly is one of five types that begin in hormone-producing cells. These types of tumors tend to be slow-growing, says pancreatic cancer specialist Margaret Tempero, deputy director of the University of California-San Francisco Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Q: How does an islet-cell tumor differ from other kinds of pancreatic cancer?
A: About 85% of pancreatic cancers are adenocarcinomas. They grow quickly and are far more deadly than the type of tumor that Jobs had.

Q: How common is pancreatic cancer?
A: According to the American Cancer Society, 31,860 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2004. Islet-cell cancers are very rare, however, with only 200 to 1,000 new cases a year, according to the National Cancer Institute.