Go to the New York Times story for more details. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the only woman currently on the Supreme Court, underwent surgery for early stage pancreatic cancer in New York’s Sloan-Kettering Cancer facility.
From the story: According to the American Cancer Society, pancreatic cancer has one of the lowest five-year survival rates, at about 5 percent overall for all stages. The rate for lung cancer is about 15 percent, and the rates for colon and rectal cancers are 64 percent. The survival rate for pancreatic cancer is so low because the disease is often not diagnosed until its later stages. There is no test for early detection, and such symptoms as weight loss and abdominal discomfort are often overlooked.