Alex Trebek Tells Fans Cancer Numbers Higher Than Before, Must Undergo Chemo Again
Beloved “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek, who has appeared on around 8,000 episodes of the family favorite show, has shared a health update on “Good Morning America” on Sept. 17.
“I was doing so well,” he said. “And my numbers went down to the equivalent of a normal human being who does not have pancreatic cancer. So we were all very optimistic.
“And they said, ‘Good, we’re gonna stop chemo, we’ll start you on immunotherapy.’ I lost about 12 pounds in a week. And my numbers went sky high, much higher than they were when I was first diagnosed.”
“So, the doctors have decided that I have to undergo chemo again and that’s what I’m doing,” he added.
Just a month ago, Trebek was hopeful that his rounds of chemotherapy were a thing of the past, according to a promotional video shared by the popular television show.
“I’ve gone through a lot of chemotherapy,” he said at the time. “Thankfully, that is now over. I’m on the mend and that’s all I can hope for right now.”
“I’ve got a couple million people out there who have expressed their good thoughts, their positive energy directed towards me and their prayers,” he said, according to WTKR. “I told the doctors, this has to be more than just the chemo, and they agreed it could very well be an important part of this.”
Along with hair loss and weight loss, Trebek has suffered through painful physical side effects of the treatment, which he spoke of in detail to CBS News.
“This got really bad,” he told CBS News. “I was on the floor writhing in pain. It went from a 3 to an 11. And I just couldn’t believe, I didn’t know what was happening. And it happened three or four times a day while we were taping. So, that was a little rough on me.”
But the show must go on and even when Trebek was feeling miserable, he rallied and pushed through.
“I taped the show and then I made it to the dressing room on one occasion, just barely, before I writhed in pain and cried in pain,” Trebek said.
“And I had 15 minutes before the next show. So, I got myself together and spasms of that kind usually last about 10 to 15 minutes. So, all right, here we go again: ‘Anybody got any pain pills?’
“And I don’t like taking pain pills. But I got through it. And the producers were very kind. They said, ‘Look, if you don’t wanna do the show, we’ll just cancel taping.’ I said, ‘No. We’re here. We’re doing the shows.’”
The 79-year-old has a very calm outlook on his own mortality. He says he’s not afraid of death, he’s more concerned about how his absence will affect his loved ones.
“One line that I have used with our staff in recent weeks and months is that when I do pass on, one thing they will not say at my funeral is ‘Oh, he was taken from us too soon,’” he told “Good Morning America.”
“Hey guys, I’m 79 years old, I had one hell of a good life and I’ve enjoyed it.”
“And the thought of passing on doesn’t frighten me. It doesn’t,” he added. “Other things do. The effect it will have on my loved ones — yes. That bothers me, it makes me sad. But the thought of myself moving on? Hey folks, it comes with the territory.”
He also said that he isn’t trying to cram in bucket list items, but is enjoying each moment for what it holds.
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