How did Ben Gazzara die? Star’s battle with fatal pancreatic cancer explained

Remembering Robert Vaughn through the years

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Gazarra was a renowned television actor, starring in the hit show Road House alongside Patrick Swayze – who less than three years prior died from the same disease Ben Gazzara had. Gazzara also starred in the 1959 classic drama Anatomy of a Murder, and later won an Emmy for his supporting role in the 2002 show Hysterical Blindness. The disease he suffered from before his death was pancreatic cancer – a form of cancer with slim odds of survival.

Little was said about Ben Gazzara’s death but his attorney revealed to various media outlets that the 81-year-old died from the disease in Manhattan hospital.

Pancreatic cancer starts in the pancreas – an organ that produces enzymes for breaking down food as well as the hormones such as insulin, which help to regulate blood sugar.

This wasn’t the first time the star had fought cancer. He was reportedly diagnosed with throat cancer in 1999 but survived the condition.

He also reportedly suffered a stroke in 2005.

Despite his previous health conditions, Gazzara continued to work into his 70s and 80s, going on to film Dogville in 2003 alongside Nicole Kidman and 13 in 2010.

Unfortunately, according to Cancer Research UK, only five percent of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer are predicted to survive 10 years or more.

Moreover, the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research adds that the five-year survival rate is also a meagre 11 percent.

Some research has found an association between stroke and cancer. Researchers found the risk of cancer diagnosis for people who had experienced a stroke was 40 percent higher than for normal people.

The explanation for this may be that the risk factors which predict a stroke, such as smoking and obesity are also linked to cancer.

Symptoms of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer often comes with many notable, physical symptoms. The Mayo Clinic recognises the following symptoms:

  • Abdominal pain felt around your back
  • Unintentional weight loss and a loss of appetite
  • Light coloured faeces
  • Dark urine
  • Itchy skin
  • Blood clots
  • Fatigue.

Pancreatic cancer is often not spotted when it as at its curable stage because its symptoms often only pop up when it has spread to other organs, meaning it has reached stage 4.

However, if you do experience any of the symptoms with no other explanation, do not hesitate to visit your GP.

Breakthrough research into pancreatic cancer cure

A new vaccine which aims to cure pancreatic cancer has been praised by scientists as “encouraging” by scientists.

The vaccine, developed by BioNTech, was created using the same technology as the company’s Covid jab in collaboration with Pfizer.

In a trial with 16 patients, over half of the patients given the vaccine stayed cancer-free 18 months after.

It works by injecting patients with mRNA from their own tumours to stimulate the body to produce a protein that triggers an immune response to destroy the tumours.

The patients that became cancer-free were those whose bodies produced a type of white blood cells, known as T-Cells, in response to the jab.

BioNTech said the results had “a favourable safety profile as well as encouraging signs of clinical activity”.

Out of the participants that didn’t become or remain cancer-free, six died or had a recurrence of their cancer.

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