PANCREATIC CANCER
For all the progress made against some types of cancer, there are others that have never been anything but bad news. Take pancreatic cancer, an area that Sharp bluntly labels “a disaster.” The disease is often discovered in a late stage, and most tumors are inoperable. It has what researchers call bad biology — cancer cells that resist treatment. Currently, less than 25% of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer make it to one year.
It takes 11.7 years for one mutation in a pancreas cell to grow into a “mature” pancreatic tumor (which might show up on a medical scan).
• It takes another 6.8 years for the pancreatic tumor to spread and cause tumors to appear in other organs of the body.
In all, it takes about 20 years for a person to grow a cancer tumor and see it spread to the point where their doctor will diagnose them with pancreatic cancer.
In other words, by the time doctors diagnosed Danny with cancer, he’s already been growing it for two decades.
TYPES OF PANCREATIC CANCER
All types of pancreatic cancer begin when abnormal cells grow out of control within the pancreas. There are two types of cells in the pancreas, the exocrine cells and endocrine cells. These cells also have different functions.
More than 95% of pancreatic cancers are classified as exocrine tumors. These tumors start in the exocrine cells that make pancreatic enzymes that help in digestion. Within this category, the vast majority of tumors are adenocarcinomas (this is what kind Danny has)
Pancreatic Cancer 
Hi Danny, I’m new to your blog. I was diagnosed in August (officially) but had been seeing my doctor for pain since January. I am 55 . Went through chemo and radiation and will have whipple mid jan at Johns Hopkins. we live in sunny Los Angeles. I’m from Brooklyn originally and noticed your Coney Island shirt! Thank you for your blog it has helped me so much to prepare for the whipple. I know it’s going to be hell. I’ve lost a lot of weight too and my hair. I feel I was once beautiful not too long ago and now I don’t even recognize myself. I cry a lot and never ever cried except when I put down my dog. We have a 22 yr old son and my husband and I celebrated our 23rd wedding anniversary yesterday. I’m scared to leave both of them alone so I pray I’ll live every moment of everyday. Your wife seems adorable and your family is beautiful you must be so proud. I will keep you in my prayers and please think of me as we walk this journey together. Your new friend, Carrie xoxo
Dear Carrie,
My husband reads everything I write and gives his okay, but he doesn’t write himself. I am so sorry you are going through this also. It is a nightmare but there are also so many wonderful experiences too! Our family has always been close but now we are even closer. Please feel free to share your experiences and ups and downs with us. Everyone is different, but it has helped Danny to know he isn’t alone. Sometimes just knowing what others are experiencing somehow makes what you are experiencing more “normal”. Best of luck, Kathy
my heart goes out to you, I think of you all everyday.