nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

Short life? He's 78 now, and it's to soon to be digging his grave. He could have years left, if something else doesn't get him first. Chill out.

And as much as he is like/loved, replacing a game show host, especially as good a show as Jeopardy, should not be an insurmountable task.

Ghery Loc: Olympia, WA

I lost my dad to Pancreatic Cancer 10 years ago. He lived about 18 months after the diagnosis. Surgery, chemo and radiation. Thought he had it beat and then complications set in. He was 82 when he died.

I hope Alex beats the odds.

rwoodvira

As Jeffl advised esophageal and pancreatic cancers are brutal; the treatment is as well. I'm a four year survivor of esophageal; I'm now on the board and a counselor for the Esophageal Support Group of Philadelphia. To give you an idea of how bad they are, we've lost 8 people so far this year - January & February - people with recent diagnosis and people that were many years out.

The chemo and radiation treatments are similar for both, but they are not one type of cancer - both of these cancers have different types. For years the treatment for both might involve surgery, chemo and/or radiation. Drugs have improved, as has targeted radiation. Because they are metastatic, even when you think it's gone, it can lie in wait.

The biggest development has been immunotherapy. We had one man have the cancer come back and a new immunotherapy Keytruda put him in full remission. They are beginning to use this in pancreatic. The issue is that these drugs only work with people have certain genetic characteristics. There are other similar drugs. Unfortunately they are extremely expensive; I don't think Alex has to worry about that. I wish him the very best - I've had 4 major surgeries and a lot of other procedures, but I'm still around.

As far as Alex being 78, I'll paraphrase Woody Allen who said "I don't want to be immortal for my work, I just want to be immortal."

PS. If you or your family ever get either of these diseases, don't look to the local hospital. It requires a major teaching hospital to give you a fighting chance. The only reasons I'm still here is my wife kicked me in the tail to get an endoscopy and I went to the University of Pennsylvania for treatment. Local hospitals, in my experience after counseling others like me, don't have the expertise or resources to fight it.

yhtomit Loc: Port Land. Oregon

Yes but who...?

yhtomit Loc: Port Land. Oregon

Yes, but who will replace him...?

TheShoe Loc: Lacey, WA

When he announced his retirement he suggested that Johnny Gilbert should be his replacement.

nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

Would you want to know who your FUTURE replacement will be, and the world waiting expectantly for it to happen?

For goodness sake, yhtomit, find something else to worry about!

yhtomit Loc: Port Land. Oregon

Thank you nadelewitz.

ICN3S Loc: Cave Junction, OR

No, he says he has a contract to fulfill and he's determined to do it! I know I'm wishing the best in health!

Feiertag Loc: British Columbia, Canada

Alex is a good old Canadian boy! I wish him well. It will be a difficult job to find a replacement, of his caliber.

yhtomit Loc: Port Land. Oregon

Ken Jennings...

SteveR Loc: Michigan

Wonderful testimonial to your parents.

EdJ0307 Loc: out west someplace

That's what I'm hearing.

yhtomit Loc: Port Land. Oregon

Listen to his book.