Screengrab via YouTube
Alex Trebek said in a March 6 YouTube video that he is battling Stage IV pancreatic cancer. Trebek is 78 years old. In the video, which was released on the “Jeopardy!” YouTube channel, Trebek tells fans that he was diagnosed with the disease this week. Trebek says he joins 50,000 other Americans in battling pancreatic cancer. Stage IV means that the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
Trebek adds, “I’m going to fight this, and I’m going to keep working. And with the love and support of my family and friends and with the help of your prayers also, I plan to beat the low survival rate statistics for this disease.”
Trebek closes with a joke, telling his fans that he has to beat the disease because, “under the terms of my contract, I have to host Jeopardy! for three more years! So help me. Keep the faith and we’ll win. We’ll get it done. Thank you.”
You can watch the full video here:
Most Pancreatic Cancer Patients Are Diagnosed at Stage IV
According to the American Cancer Society, a person with Stage IV pancreatic cancer has a 3 percent chance of surviving five years with the disease. Most pancreatic cancer patients are diagnosed at the Stage IV stage. The disease most commonly spreads to the liver, abdominal wall, lungs, bones and faraway lymph nodes. The most common therapy is chemotherapy as the cancer has spread, surgery is not an option at Stage IV.
Trebek Underwent Brain Surgery in December 2017
In December 2017, Trebek underwent brain surgery to heal a subdural hematoma caused by a fall. Trebek said in the above video that the prognosis was good and that he expected to be back hosting “Jeopardy!” shortly. Despite his absence, the show’s producers never aired any episodes with a guest host.
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WATCH: Alex Trebek Says He Has Stage IV Pancreatic Cancer