Darn it.  Patrick Swayze has pancreatic cancer.  I hoped the fact that the first source I heard on this was the National Enquirer meant that it was a total fabrication but now his doctor has confirmed it but says they are optimistic.

I remember when Micheal Landon had it and told America he was going to fight and beat it.  I thought he would but it was advanced and things didn’t turn out so well.  Swayze’s doctor says that his is has a “limited” amount of disease and is responding to treatment so hopefully this story turns out much better than Michael Landon’s.

And guess what one of the leading causes of pancreatic cancer is?  Smoking.  And guess what the prognosis is?  Worse than lung cancer.  Studies show that 3-5% of all people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer will still be alive 5 years after the diagnosis; with lung cancer it’s closer to 15%.  As a comparison, those with breast cancer or prostate cancer have survival rates in the 90% range after 5 years.  The only hopes for people diagnosed with pancreatic or lung cancer are to be diagnosed in a very early stage where survival rates are higher and treatment is more effective or a miracle.

I’m going to stop there or I might start sounding bitter about the amount of money spent on research for lung cancer treatments which is off topic anyway.