"I have always said that if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come."

This was Steve Jobs' announcement when he resigned as chief executive of Apple. An announcement that eerily echoed a foreboding of the future.

At the age of 56, Steve Jobs, the visionary and genius, is gone.

In a time line, Steve Jobs batted multiple health problems since 2004. Apparently in that same year, he underwent surgery for pancreatic cancer. News ruffled again in 2009, when Jobs underwent a liver transplant in a hospital in Tennessee. Now, Apple indicates that Jobs died following a long battle against pancreatic cancer, LALate reports.

What then is pancreatic cancer?

The pancreas is an organ that is found behind the stomach and in front of the spine with 2 very important functions: first, it makes insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels in the body and second, it produces enzymes that help break down proteins. The most significant role of this enzyme is to cut the proteins into smaller parts to enable the body to easily absorb it and later to be used for energy.

Pancreatic cancer is a malignant neoplasm (an abnormal new growth of tissue) of the pancreas.

American Cancer Society said that pancreatic cancer is the 4th most common cause of death both in the US and internationally. Pancreatic cancer often has a poor prognosis.

WebMD mentioned that there are certain risk factors that may put an individual at risk and this includes, smoking, chronic pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreases), inherited conditions (including hereditary pancreatitis), familial cancer syndromes and long standing diabetes.

MedicineNet also mentioned that obesity, a sedentary lifestyle and a fatty (or Western) diet may put people at risk for pancreatic cancer. Certain pancreatic cysts may put others at risk as well. However, despite the associated risk, no identifiable cause was found in most people who developed pancreatic cancer.

Due to the location of the pancreas, the cancer often grows silently and it may take several months before it will be discovered. Early symptoms may be absent or quite subtle that people often dismiss it as simple discomfort.

When the tumor grows large enough to cause pressure on nearby anatomical structures, identifiable symptoms may emerge. Pain may occur due to pressure on the nerves. Pressure on intestines may affect appetite and cause nausea, and eventually lead to weight loss. The moment bile ducts are affected, the symptoms become pronounced because of the yellowish discoloration (jaundice) of the skin becomes too obvious and itching as well may be experienced.

It is unfortunate that most pancreatic cancers are found after the cancer has grown beyond the pancreas or as the medical professionals would say, metastasized to other organs of the body.

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