After being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, dad and athlete Chris Kerwin wasn't sure if he would make it to Thanksgiving. Now, nearly four years later, he is back to being active and spending quality time with his family thanks to the experts at UC San Diego Health's Moores Cancer Center.

Learn more about pancreatic cancer treatment at UC San Diego Health: https://health.ucsd.edu/specia....lties/cancer/program

Hear from Yasmin and her mother Margaret, as they recount the story of Yasmin's father, Shaukat and his experience of pancreatic cancer. Find out more about pancreatic cancer and what we're doing to tackle the disease on the Cancer Research UK website: http://www.cancerresearchuk.or....g/cancer-help/type/p
http://www.cancerresearchuk.or....g/our-research/our-r

But it is more survivable now than it used to be. Dr. Mark Truty, a Mayo Clinic cancer surgeon, says that’s due in part to advances in the approach to treating the cancer. You see, patients who can have surgery for their pancreatic cancer live longer than those who cannot. Unfortunately, in the past, surgery wasn’t an option for most patients, but with better chemotherapy came dramatic changes. Now, more patients are considered candidates for curative surgery.

That includes patients who may have been considered inoperable elsewhere due to complex tumors involving blood vessels. Mayo Clinic is the first and only center that routinely uses positron emission tomography, or PET, scans to help determine if the chemotherapy has been effective.

The primary goal for any patient with pancreatic cancer is to extend their life and maintain or improve their quality of life. Advances like this are offering patients hope.
____________________________________________
For the safety of its patients, staff and visitors, Mayo Clinic has strict masking policies in place. Anyone shown without a mask was recorded prior to COVID-19 or recorded in an area not designated for patient care, where social distancing and other safety protocols were followed.

FOR THE PUBLIC: More health and medical news on the Mayo Clinic News Network. https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/

FOR THE MEDIA ONLY: Register at https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/re... to access clean and nat sound versions of this video on the Mayo Clinic News Network. https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/

Mayo Clinic https://mayocl.in/3tNMAdF Follow Mayo Clinic on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mayoclinic/ Like Mayo Clinic on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ Follow Mayo Clinic on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MayoClinic

Physicians discuss the goals of treatment for pancreatic cancer and how they decide which patients are candidates for curative treatment and which ones are palliative.
To learn more visit http://www.animatedpancreaspatient.com

Aretha Franklin died Thursday of pancreatic cancer at the age of 76. Pancreatic cancer is the third deadliest type of the disease. Julie Fleshman, CEO and president of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, joins CBSN to discuss the symptoms, treatments and risk factors of the disease.

Subscribe to the CBS News Channel HERE: http://youtube.com/cbsnews
Watch CBSN live HERE: http://cbsn.ws/1PlLpZ7
Follow CBS News on Instagram HERE: https://www.instagram.com/cbsnews/
Like CBS News on Facebook HERE: http://facebook.com/cbsnews
Follow CBS News on Twitter HERE: http://twitter.com/cbsnews

Get the latest news and best in original reporting from CBS News delivered to your inbox. Subscribe to newsletters HERE: http://cbsn.ws/1RqHw7T

Get your news on the go! Download CBS News mobile apps HERE: http://cbsn.ws/1Xb1WC8

Get new episodes of shows you love across devices the next day, stream CBSN and local news live, and watch full seasons of CBS fan favorites like Star Trek Discovery anytime, anywhere with CBS All Access. Try it free! http://bit.ly/1OQA29B

---
CBSN is the first digital streaming news network that will allow Internet-connected consumers to watch live, anchored news coverage on their connected TV and other devices. At launch, the network is available 24/7 and makes all of the resources of CBS News available directly on digital platforms with live, anchored coverage 15 hours each weekday. CBSN. Always On.