‘Star Trek’ Legend Jonathan Frakes, 69, Opens About His Brother’s Brave Battle with Pancreatic Cancer

The team is called "Trek Against Cancer," and in recent days, Frakes has shared his PurpleStride page to Twitter multiple times. On his page, Frakes opens up about the life-changing pain of losing his brother to pancreatic cancer.

"My brother Daniel was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer over 20 years ago," Frakes wrote. "His doctor gave him six to eight months to live, saying there was nothing that could be done for him. He died a week before my daughter was born."

Frakes's brother's passing changed so much about his world. "Daniel's death was hard on our family," he wrote. "My dad never really recovered from it." But even though this heartbreak changed his life, Frakes focuses on looking ahead to a better future: "When I look at my dear friend and fellow 'Star Trek' actor Kitty Swink I see hope she's a 18-year pancreatic cancer survivor!"

There has been significant advancement in the treatment of pancreatic cancer since Frakes's brother's passing. The survival rate has jumped from 3% to 11%. "To see that it's now 11% is great," Frakes said. "But, there's still a long way to go. This is where you come in."

Frakes has raised 2% of his $25,000 goal for his PurpleStride campaign. According to PanCAN, the money donated to "Trek Against Cancer" will go to "research, clinical initiatives, patient services, advocacy and nationwide volunteer support."

Frakes thinks that there is work to be done all on fronts of the public perception of pancreatic cancer. "I want people to know how fast and brutal and relentless pancreatic cancer can be," he said, "But I also want to change the perception – pancreatic cancer is NOT hopeless."

Dr. Allyson Ocean explains why pancreatic cancer is so hard to treat

Pancreatic Cancer: Symptoms

With a five-year survival rate of just 9%, it's vital that pancreatic cancer is caught as early as possible. However, early detection is notoriously challenging for this disease, as symptoms often don’t present themselves until the disease has already progressed into later stages.

“So the pancreas is an organ in your belly, and this is where pancreatic cancer arises,” Dr. Anirban Maitra, co-leader of Pancreatic Cancer Moon Shot at MD Anderson Cancer Center, previously told SurvivorNet. “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.”

This being said, it’s still possible to be vigilant about signs that something may be wrong. Here are the most common symptoms of pancreatic cancer:

• Abdominal bloating
• Abdominal or back pain
• Digestive problems
• Jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes)
• Changes in bowel movements
• Unexplained weight loss
• Blood clots (can cause swelling and tenderness in affected areas)
• Diabetes

Dr. Anirban Maitra, the co-leader of the Pancreatic Cancer Moon Shot at the MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer

While symptoms of pancreatic cancer are known, there are still considerable challenges to screening for pancreatic cancer. This is mainly because the pancreas is located deep inside the body and therefore tumors aren't as prominent as they are with other types of cancer such as breasts or melanoma. However, research and clinical trials are still being done to make treatment options safe and accessible. When it comes to cancer awareness and treatment, knowledge is power and it is important to stay vigilant.

Contributing: Shelby Black

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