The following year, the pain returned, and he was referred for imaging tests. His scans showed a stage IV tumor that had spread to his liver. He lived for a little over a year longer, passing away soon after his 56th birthday in 2014.
The voices of late stars Alan Rickman, Aretha Franklin and more have been used to raise awareness for pancreatic cancer.
Pancreatic Cancer UK has marked Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month (in November) by launching an appeal called Lost Voices: Help us break through the silence.
It aims to get donations to help with vital research into the deadliest common cancer.
Accompanied with an animation, the audio production includes the voices of the stars who have lost their lives to pancreatic cancer.
Voices used include Alan from Harry Potter, Sir John Hurt, Aretha Franklin, Patrick Swayze and Steve Jobs.
Other stars included are Olivia Williams and Ruby Wax as their lives were personally affected by the disease.
Medical advancements have vastly improved survival rates and time alive for cancers patients in general - but tumors of the pancreas remain some of the toughest to treat.
Only 20 percent of pancreatic cancer patients survive for a year after diagnosis. Just seven percent make it five years.
As other forms become more curable, pancreatic cancer is climbing the ranks of deadliest cancers, reaching number three this year, and set to soon become second only to lung cancer.
The Queen of Soul had surgery, most likely for a pancreatic tumor in 2010, and went on to live for another eight years.
Although hers was the less deadly form, an expert told Daily Mail Online why even a power house performer with every resource at her disposal like Franklin faces such tough odds with pancreatic cancer.
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