1/ Comparing Alex Trebek's and RBG's pancreatic cancers:
There are some similarities and some differences between Trebek's and RBG's cases. The similarities are that they both have pancreatic cancers (both probably have ductal adenocarcinomas, likely stage IV.) ...
There are some similarities and some differences between Trebek's and RBG's cases. The similarities are that they both have pancreatic cancers (both probably have ductal adenocarcinomas, likely stage IV.) ...
2/ and both are public figures. The main differences are their age (Trebek's 79 vs RBG's 86, each passing age further limiting treatment options), prior history of cancers (this is the second primary for RBG;
3/ her first was in 2009 for which a part of her pancreas had been resected), and most notably, the kind of treatment they are receiving (Trebek is getting chemo with the aim of a definitive systemic eradication while RBG is foregoing that option and ......
4/ had more "palliative/quality of life maintenance" type treatment such as tumor debulking by streotactic radioablation and the biliary stent placement). Consequently, Trebek may appear sicker in the short term due to the side effects of the chemo whereas RBG has had no such...
5/ side effects, hence her relative good health since August til now. She actually probably felt a lot better after her hospitalization in August because she got that stent which solved her problems in the short term. Unfortunately for her, the treatments she got ...
6/ had been designed to prolong her functioning lifespan, sacrificing the possibility for the definitive cure. Their goal is to make her last till the summer of 2020 or so such that Trump getting her replacement confirmed would become politically challenging. ...
7/ However, given her diagnosis and the typical course of such disease, time is unlikely to be on her side and in the meantime, her pain and suffering would become greater and more frequent, unfortunately. May God be with her.
