The Science Behind Jobs' Hormonal Imbalance

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The Science Behind Jobs' Hormonal Imbalance

Posted 01/09/2009 at 6:13:00am | by Carol Pinchefsky

Steve Jobs Large
Left: 2007. Right: 2008.

Apple Inc. CEO Steve Jobs has addressed rumors concerning his weight loss in a statement to the press. In this statement, Jobs said, “after further testing, my doctors think they have found the cause--a hormone imbalance that has been ‘robbing’ me of the proteins my body needs to be healthy.”

Jobs previously suffered from islet cell pancreatic cancer, a less common type of pancreatic cancer. Typically, pancreatic cancer has a high mortality rate: with a wide array of symptoms that include depression and jaundice, pancreatic cancer is tricky to diagnose, and many cases advances until surgery is no longer a viable option. However, the type Jobs had is slower growing and has a favorable survival rate.

Dr. Robert Zimmerman, interim chairman of the Department of Endocrinology at the Cleveland Clinic, one of U.S. News and World Report’s top ten best hospitals nationwide for endocrinology, says that weight loss is a common after-effect of the Whipple procedure, which Jobs had undergone. Patients who undergo the Whipple procedure lose part of their pancreas, duodenum, bile duct, and perhaps the stomach. The digestive tract of the patient is then reconstructed.

Dr. Zimmerman said, “Assuming that it’s not re-occurrence from the tumor…[Jobs’ weight loss] could be a complication of the surgery.”

Dr. Zimmerman explained that islet cell pancreatic cancer can disrupt the production of hormones like insulin. “The islets are the cells in the pancreas that normally secrete insulin, and [pancreatic cancer] can cause people to have low blood sugar.” People who lack insulin are at risk for complications like weight loss.

Although weight loss is cause for cheer in most Americans, Dr. Philip Philip, co-editor of the book Pancreatic Cancer and professor of medical oncology at the Karmanos Cancer Institute, said this is not the case for previous cancer survivors like Steve Jobs. Severe weight loss may raise an alarm that the cancer has recurred.

Dr. Philip said, “For the cancer to be removed in 2004 and for him to have the symptoms now, it probably indicates there’s a cancer activity. And weight loss is one of the typical symptom of a cancer that’s active, especially if it’s growing or getting worse.”

If Jobs’ illness interferes with his work, he stated, “I will be the first one to step up and tell our Board of Directors if I can no longer continue to fulfill my duties as Apple’s CEO.”

The Board of Directors responded in another press release, offering Jobs “our complete and unwavering support during his recuperation.”

COMMENTS: 7

TAGS: Steve Jobs

COMMENTS

Live strong
Submitted by Mario sarrica on Fri, 2009-01-09 10:55

Wish the media would get off steve's back
I mean if he is sick its his choice to come out with it!
Apple still make the best computers and software
He seems ok at events talks for long periods of time .
Go steve!

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I'm disgusted ...
Submitted by derexcomments on Fri, 2009-01-09 19:37

Okay. I don't usually post comments online but I came across this story and just could not believe what I'm reading. It was hard enough reading all the comments speculating on Mr. Job's health before MacWorld but this story has sunk this site to a new low. Leave the man alone. It is his health and he deserves his privacy. Wouldn't you ask the same if it was you in the same position? I would use stronger language but of course I can't here. I am a Mac user and consultant since 1986 and think as highly of him as anyone but for you to try to comment on whatever he might be suffering from is truly inexcusable. If you think that outrageous story lines like this are what it takes to draw traffic to your site then think again. I am truly disgusted. Go find another hobby ...

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Whether or not you people
Submitted by mfura6579 on Fri, 2009-01-09 23:12

Whether or not you people like it, Jobs is the CEO of a multi-BILLION dollar company, not to mention the majority shareholder, so his health is REQUIRED BY LAW to be public knowledge. He signed off any privacy right had by taking on those aforementioned postions. If he is indeed sick, or in someway, unfit to run the company, it's the duty of both Apple and the media to report this. The other shareholders have a right to know what is going on with the person who runs the company they have ownership in and the right to decide if they want to sell off that ownership if there's problems in the higher ups.I'm getting sick of reading posts that complain about the media and their "speculation" of Job's health. Here's the deal... There would be no speculation if Apple would come out and say exactly what is wrong, instead of lying to the public with made up truths. Case in point? Last month when it was announced Apple was pulling out of MacWorld and that Jobs would not be giving the keynote this last year, it was because the company felt there was no need to have Jobs speak. Right.... So, the "specualtion" begins. Then, what happens one day before MacWorld? Apple and Jobs come out and state that he is indeed sick, giving truth to the speculation and not the company themselves. And the reason he did not give his keynote is that he was home, recouperating, with his family due to a horomone deficiency. If that was the issue all along, why not come out and say it? It IS their corporate duty after all.

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The point is that this
Submitted by mattc986 on Fri, 2009-01-09 23:28

The point is that this article was written AFTER Steve and Apple came out and disclosed his health issues and reasons for not speaking at the Expo. Some speculation is understandable after the announcement he wouldn't be doing the keynote, but now that he has been open about it and given his reasons AND said he has no problems stepping down if/when he is unable to do his duties there really is no reason for an article like this.

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Steve's health does not need a full article
Submitted by mattc986 on Fri, 2009-01-09 20:14

I'm going to have to agree with the previous comments. Yes, if Steve is suddenly deathly ill and rushed to the hospital, I wouldn't mind knowing. But he has publicly stated his situation for the exact purpose of stopping this kind of nonsense. Nothing in this article is of interest to Mac users. I try to avoid gossip publications, and that's exactly what this article is. Let him live his private life. We especially don't need the thoughts of a doctor who has never treated Mr. Jobs and can only speculate as to his condition. Let's make this the last of these articles.

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informative piece
Submitted by Michael Simon on Sat, 2009-01-10 09:03

I liked it, Carol. When Steve disclosed his "hormone imbalance," I wondered if it was related to his cancer surgery. It's interesting to read an expert's opinion.
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I'd like to share some other media coverage...
Submitted by JonPhillips on Sun, 2009-01-11 10:20

I appreciate the debate on whether Maclife should be reporting on Steve Jobs' medical condition. Obviously, as I am editorial director of Mac|Life and we are reporting on this topic, you know where I stand.
Today, I just want to point out that we are not the only media outlet covering this story:
- In this URL, the Silicon Valley Insider excerpts a Wall Street Journal article in which a Mayo Clinic endocrinologist opines the cancer may have recurred (I am using this URL because the WSJ requires registration):
http://www.alleyinsider.com/2009/1/endocrinologists-steve-jobs-diagnosis-and-prognosis-unclear
- In this article, TIME reports on the various impacts of a Jobs-less Apple, and reports (opines?) that "A number of medical commentators found [the hormonal imbalance] explanation lacking."
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1870502-2,00.html
- In this article, TIME discusses numerous medical theories: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1869975,00.html
- In this article, the Silicon Valley Insider gets more details about the recurrence theory from the endocrinologist interviewed by WSJ, and also runs an extensive counter-explanation from a different endocrinologist:
http://www.alleyinsider.com/2009/1/dr-michael-jensen-on-steve-jobs-cancer-may-have-returned
- In this article, the US News & World Report discuss numerous theories including a possible recurrence of cancer:
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/cancer/2009/01/05/steve-jobss-letter-does-little-to-clear-up-health-mystery.html
- MSNBC weighs in. Again, an MD suggests a recurrence scenario:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28506968/wid/11915773
The stories go on and on. Just google "Steve Jobs" and "endocrinologist." I'm sharing these URLs not because I have a morbid curiosity with Steve's health, but because I want our readers to know that Maclife isn't alone in covering this news story. And, FWIW, our coverage seems to be consistent with that of what I'll call the "mainstream news media." Whether that's good or bad is up for you all to decide. But, FWIW, I think our coverage has been fine.
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