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Mastermind, Magnus Magnusson, Dies Of Pancreatic Cancer

in Cancer News, Celebrity, Memoriam, Pancreatic Cancer @ 5:16 pm by Know Cancer News

magnus-magnusson.jpgMagnus Magnusson, former host of the BBC quiz show Mastermind, died just days ago after a four-month battle with pancreatic cancer. He died peacefully at his Glasgow home at the age of 77.

Magnusson, a journalist, author, and presenter, is best known for his 25 years of work on Mastermind, a show he called an “undemanding program for insomniac academics late at night.” His presence defined the program, a prime time BBC show watched by more than 22 million viewers, from 1972 until 1997.”Magnus Magnusson was one of the defining faces and voices of the BBC,” said Mark Thompson, the director general of the BBC. “To the contestants of Mastermind, he was a tough but always fair question-master, but behind this screen persona there was a family man of tremendous warmth and humanity.”

Magnusson, who focused on his writing career after Mastermind ratings began to slump and a new host took his place, first became ill in 2004 when he was hospitalized for emergency abdominal surgery. He recovered from this episode but was diagnosed with cancer last October, on his 77th birthday.

Magnusson, who coined the quiz show phrase, “I’ve started, so I’ll finish,” is survived by his wife of 52 years and his four children.


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High Sugar Intake Can Cause Pancreatic Cancer

in Cancer Information, Cancer News, Cancer Research, Pancreatic Cancer @ 7:42 pm by Know Cancer News

fizzy_drink_cancer.jpgAccording to a Swedish research, People who drink large quantities of fizzy drinks or add sugar to coffee or tea run a higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is a very serious form of cancer that is possibly caused when the pancreas produces heightened levels of insulin as a consequence of upset glucose metabolism. A well-known way of increasing insulin production is to eat a lot of sugar. Scientists have now, for the first time, shown that the consumption of sweetened food and drink affects a person’s chances of developing pancreatic cancer.

Researchers at the Karolinska Institute studied the diets of almost 80,000 men and women between 1997 and 2005. A total of 131 developed pancreatic cancer, a deadly form of the disease that is difficult to treat.

The research team came to the conclusion that people who consume fizzy drinks twice a day or more almost double the risk of developing pancreatic cancer. Taking sugar in your coffee five times a day increases the risk by 70 per cent.

Scientists believe the risk of developing pancreatic cancer rises when the pancreas produces higher levels of insulin. Eating a lot of sugar is a well-known way of increasing insulin production.

“Insulin in itself affects cells in the pancreas, and we believe that this is a risk factor for cancer growth,” said Susanna Larsson, one of the researchers behind the study.

About 216,000 new cases of pancreatic cancer, mostly in developed countries, are diagnosed each year. The illness is most common in people aged over 60. It is difficult to treat because it is often not diagnosed until it has spread beyond the pancreas.

“It is perhaps the most serious form of cancer, with very poor prognoses for its victims. Since it’s difficult to treat and is often discovered too late, it’s particularly important that we learn to prevent it,” Larsson said.

Authorities in the UK have hinted they may target sugar reductions in products in the same way they have pressured firms to cut salt content.


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