Steve Jobs' Death Caused by Rare Pancreatic Cancer

October 07, 2011
Rare Pancreatic Cancer Caused Steve Jobs' Death
VOA - Vidushi Sinha | Washington




Apple co-founder Steve Jobs' death at the age of 56 followed a seven-year battle with a rare form of pancreatic cancer - the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. The disease is hard to treat because it is difficult to diagnose. The pancreas is embedded deep in the abdomen, and often, symptoms of cancer become evident at a very late, advanced stage of the disease.

In 2004, Jobs announced he had undergone surgery for pancreatic cancer -- a mild and rare form of the disease called an islet-cell neuroendocrine tumor.

That form makes up about five percent of all of pancreatic cancers. It affects the cells that produce hormones that control blood sugar levels. The more deadly, and common, form appears in the exocrine cells of the pancreas that produce digestive enzymes.

The pancreas is a 15-centimeter-long gland tucked behind the stomach and below the liver. Pancreatic cancer can be hard to diagnose, since the early stages have no visible symptoms.

“Neuroendocrine tumor, when its detected early, it is curable with surgery alone," explained Dr. Khaled el-Shami, a cancer specialist at George Washington University Medical Center, in Washington. "And when it is advanced, meaning that it has spread from the pancreas to the liver, typically, or other organs - [then] this is [an] incurable disease.”

In 2009, five years after his cancer surgery, Jobs received a liver transplant.

"About five months ago I had a liver transplant. So I now have the liver of a mid-20's person,” Jobs said.

Dr. el-Shami says a liver transplant is an aggressive way of dealing with cancer, but it's no “magic bullet".

“It’s a balance between removing a big chunk of cancer in the liver and the risk of having a weakened immune system, which can encourage not only the original cancer to come back but also the emergence of other cancers,” the doctor explained.

While he never treated Steve Jobs and does not know the details of his case, Dr. Matthew Walsh, chairman of General Surgery at Cleveland Clinic says Jobs' cancer was never likely to be cured.

“Having gone through all the treatment, most patients might think that they are cured of the cancer. When it comes back, there is still a great uncertainty [about] what the length of your life will be. It tends to be a disease that does come back - does spread - does take your strength away sort of have all the cancer-associated symptoms and people still die from this type of cancer.”

Few details of Steve Jobs' health have ever been made public, but experts speculate that his cancer may have been a case of late diagnosis.

Consumer Electronics Show - Smart Phones, Tablet Computers

Consumer Electronics Show Features Tablet Computers, Smart Phones

Mike O'Sullivan | Las Vegas - 05 January 2011

Photo: M. O'Sullivan, VOA

Device at Consumer Electronics Show for outdoor enthusiasts

The latest electronic devices are being unveiled this week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas Thursday through Sunday. Among the hottest gadgets at the annual trade show are tablet computers, which will compete with Apple's successful iPad.

The show will see the launch of more than 20,000 products, and Sarah Myers of the Consumer Electronics Association says portable tablet computers are generating interest at this year's CES, or Consumer Electronics Show.

"We are expecting more than 80 tablets launched just this week at CES.  And I think that reinforces that consumers really want a portable experience.  They want to be able to take their information, their technology, wherever they go.  We're also going to see a lot in the way of smart phones," Myers said.

At the other end of the spectrum are new large-screen three-dimensional television sets, new glasses for viewing the 3-D sets, and some sets that need no glasses. "We're also going to see a lot in the way of smart TVs, which means the connected TV, Internet-connected technology for your television, which means really the television is becoming your computer," she noted.

There are smart appliances, including energy-efficient washing machines and refrigerators.

Many devices will be multifunctional, including new entertainment and electronic systems for vehicles and the hand-held guidance system for hikers from the Eton Corporation.

 "It's going feature an AM-FM radio, and then it has what we call the ABC's of outdoors.  So it has an altimeter, a chronograph, it can show you the temperature," said Lindsay Gropper, who added that it meets many needs of outdoor enthusiasts.

It also has a compass, barometer, and flashlight, a solar-powered battery to keep it charged and a bottle opener.

There are also low-tech devices on the exhibit floor, like a combined cover and stand for an Apple iPad from the Joby company, and a flexible stand for the iPad or Apple iPhone.

Joby's Scott Ellis says product launches get attention at this show. "Which is why we actually brought these two products that we're launching today at CES.  We think it's a great forum for really unveiling new products," he said.

But one industry giant, Apple, does not launch products here. Creator of the popular iPad and iPhone, Apple has opened up markets that many other companies hope to compete in.

Consumer Electronics Show Features Tablet Computers, Smart Phones - article and video came from VOA.