A diagnosis of pancreatic cancer is devastating for the patient and his/her family. Often the cancer is caught when it is at an advanced stage, and survival rates are lower than many cancers. Peter Suess is more than 5 years out from his pancreatic cancer diagnosis, and his story of his ongoing treatment and survival is one of hope and inspiration. Myth or Medicine: Is pancreatic cancer a death sentence? Second Opinion 5: Five ways to support someone with cancer.