An Important Reminder to Take Charge of Your Health
- Hollywood heartthrob Michael Landon, who died from pancreatic cancer in 1991 at age 54, used to avoid doctors and unfortunately would not make his health a priority, his daughter Leslie Landon Matthews shared in a new interview as she reflected on her late father.
- Matthews, who worked on Little House on the Prairie with the New York native, thinks he would have handled his health differently if he were alive today.
- Unfortunately, over two decades ago, many people, in general, were not as proactive about their health, especially men. Pancreatic cancer is often challenging to diagnose, even with diligent trips to the doctor. It is often known as the “silent disease” and diagnosed at a later stage.
- It’s always a good idea to get into see your doctor if you have any concerning lingering symptoms that may be bothering you for more than a couple of weeks.
- It’s also imperative to get regular checkups and screenings even when you are seemingly in perfect health. The more proactive you are about your health, the more of a chance you can stay ahead of a potential diagnosis. In general, the earlier you catch your cancer, the better the prognosis.
The former actress, 61, who worked alongside Landon on the hit TV series Little House on the Prairie (1974-1983), detailed the star’s “stubbornness” in an interview with Fox News, published on June 9.
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If Landon were alive today, Matthews thinks he would say, “Boy, I blew it. I really should have been staying on top of my health every year and making sure I was getting full checkups.”
Unfortunately, over two decades ago, many people, in general, were not as proactive about their health, especially men. Pancreatic cancer is often challenging to diagnose, even with diligent trips to the doctor. It is often diagnosed at a later stage.
Michael Landon’s Cancer Diagnosis
Michael Landon’s pancreatic cancer was inoperable at the time of diagnosis and it had already spread to his liver.
Although he received chemotherapy treatment, his prognosis was grim. Nevertheless, the handsome actor, who first rose to fame on the NBC TV show Bonanza (1959-1973), handled the diagnosis with humor and grace.
“I think you have to have a sense of humor about everything,” Landon said at a 1991 press conference. “I don’t find this particularly funny, but if you’re going to try to go on, you’re going to try to beat something, you’re not going to do it standing in the corner.”
Being Proactive About Your Health
It’s always a good idea to get into see your doctor if you have any concerning lingering symptoms that may be bothering you for more than a couple of weeks.
It’s also imperative to get regular checkups and screenings even when you are seemingly in perfect health. The more proactive you are about your health, the more of a chance you can stay ahead of a potential diagnosis. In general, the earlier you catch your cancer, the better the prognosis.
“Don’t just leave it to the doctors to tell you what’s going to happen … yes you have to listen to them, but take your health into your own hands,” survivor Amy Armstrong previously shared with SurvivorNet.
Pancreatic Cancer: The ‘Silent Disease’
Pancreatic cancer begins in the pancreas and is known as the “silent disease.”
Symptoms of the disease rarely show up until it has advanced and metastasized (spread) to other parts of the body.
Although pancreatic cancer survival rates have been improving, it’s still considered to be largely incurable. An exception to this is if the tumor is still small enough and localized enough to be operated on.
Why Pancreatic Cancer Is Hard to Treat
The National Cancer Institute identifies pancreatic cancer symptoms to include:
- Dark urine
- Pain in the abdomen
- Unexplained weight loss
- Light-colored stools
- Loss of appetite and fatigue
Treatment options for pancreatic cancer may include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy.
More Hope for Pancreatic Cancer with PARP Inhibitors
PARP inhibitors, according to MD Anderson Cancer Center, are used to prevent cancer cells from repairing their damaged DNA and have shown significant promise in treating ovarian and breast cancer. However, a study presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting last year revealed that one of these PARP inhibitor drugs, olaparib (Lynparza), may also work for pancreatic cancer.
The drug extended the time that patients with advanced stages of pancreatic cancer who had BRCA gene mutations could live without the cancer worsening (a measurement doctors call “progression-free survival”). The drug was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Immunotherapy Can Be Advantageous for Pancreatic Cancer Patients
According to research published in the World Journal of Clinical Cases, pancreatic cancer “has the lowest 5-year survival rate” mainly because of a lack of serological markers for screening, aggressive local invasion, the tendency to spread, resistance to chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy, and late diagnosis.
Immunotherapy is the process of activating a patient’s own immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells. These treatment options could be advantageous for patients who manage to catch pancreatic cancer in its early stages.
A study funded by the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy combined two immunotherapy drugs with chemotherapy — and found some patients experienced either a shrinking of tumors or a slowing of the progression of tumors.
“Until now, immunotherapy hasn’t had a big role,” Dr. Allyson Ocean, Medical Oncologist at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian, previously told SurvivorNet. “Now this study combines two immunotherapy drugs with frontline standard chemotherapy, and we’re seeing response rates significantly better than what was published with other chemotherapies alone.”
Immunotherapy does not work for all patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. Still, the advances presented in this study and others throughout 2019 give those facing this disease much hope.
Questions for Your Doctor
If you are facing a pancreatic cancer diagnosis, you may have questions but are unsure how to get the answers you need. SurvivorNet suggests asking your doctor the following to kickstart your journey to more solid answers.
- What type of pancreatic cancer do I have?
- Has my cancer spread beyond my pancreas? If so, where has it spread, and what is the stage of the disease?
- What is my prognosis?
- What are my treatment options?
- What side effects should I expect after undergoing treatment?
- Will insurance cover my recommended treatment?
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