Detroit newspaper reports Aretha Franklin has pancreatic cancer

[DubbalinGirl]

OK, I thought I'd look up risk factors for this cancer and so far I see pancreatitis, alcohol and smoking. Of course you don't HAVE to drink or smoke to get it. Also, diabetes (not sure which one but am guessing type 2) and I think Aretha has diabetes.

Eating lots of fruits and veggies may protect against it, specifically cruciferous veggies. Eat your Brussel sprouts, people!

My grandmother had none of the risk factors, fwiw.

[Rex]

OK, I thought I'd look up risk factors for this cancer and so far I see pancreatitis, alcohol and smoking. Of course you don't HAVE to drink or smoke to get it. Also, diabetes (not sure which one but am guessing type 2) and I think Aretha has diabetes.

Obesity is also a risk factor. She's had weight problems most of her adult life.
IIRC she talked about quitting smoking a while back, but I could be wrong. I have no idea how much she drinks.

[Beefcake]

horrible diagnosis. not good. not good at all.

Get well ............ somehow ............. Lady Soul

[skatesindreams]

My father had the less common form; and responded well to what was then, experimental chemotherapy.
He had several years in remission; but., when that ended there was nothing to be done, and he died soon after.

I wish Aretha the very best; and hope that more effective treatments are found for this, soon,.

[Cheylana]

I met Aretha Franklin once in 2003, when I was working at the Detroit federal courthouse. One of the federal judges held an event in her honor, and I was very excited to come face-to-face with a legend, even though there really was nothing I could say to her that she hadn't already heard a million times, lol.

Hope she's able to recover, but pancreatic cancer is just such a nasty disease. My great-aunt had it, and she died about 6-8 weeks after diagnosis.

[deltask8er]

Eating lots of fruits and veggies may protect against it, specifically cruciferous veggies. Eat your Brussel sprouts, people!

And ask your doctor if you can or should take low-dose aspirin regularly

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...1206201240.htm

Though previous studies linked daily aspirin use to pancreatic cancer.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/HEALTH/10/27...eut/index.html

[Cupid]

She may be larger than life, but I know a lot of people who say she never paid them for work done. She almost lost her house I believe. She just wouldn't pay people.

My nephew had pancreatic cancer and died at age 40. He was thin, didn't drink, a good man. I believe he did smoke, however.

[AragornElessar]

This really is one of the worst diagnosis you can get. A friend who is a Surgeon says it's a bad day for her when she discovers that in the OR, because she knows there's very little that can be done.

Always loved that lady's voice. Will be keeping Aretha in my thoughts and prayers.

[Dragonlady]

One of the women from our church died of pancreatic cancer. Horrible to hear that Aretha has this diagnosis.

I love Aretha and have since she was a teenager. DH, who is not a fan, gave me a boxed set of her recordings one year for Christmas. Everything from her early soul and R&B recordings in the late 60's to her duets with George Michael and Annie Lennox in the 90's.

Her voice gives me chills.

[Rex]

She may be larger than life, but I know a lot of people who say she never paid them for work done. She almost lost her house I believe. She just wouldn't pay people.

I heard that she owned a really nice house outside of Detroit that she didn't take care of and it was condemned by the city, but I don't remember the particulars. Most people I know who have met her (my mom included) said she is a sweet as pie. But don't cross her...

[Carmen Ovsiannikov]

Obesity is also a risk factor. She's had weight problems most of her adult life.
IIRC she talked about quitting smoking a while back, but I could be wrong. I have no idea how much she drinks.

At one point a few years ago she was supposed to be working on dropping some of the weight but I guess that didn't work out. I'm not sure how much she drinks either.

[aliceanne]

I hope she beats it. Chain of Fools is my all-time favorite.