WLWT, Local 12: Jerry Springer's death puts pancreatic cancer, called a silent killer, under microscope
UC expert says UC labs are working to increase survival rates
The recent death of former Cincinnati mayor and talk show host Jerry Springer is bringing pancreatic cancer into the spotlight. WLWT-TV interviewed Syed Ahmad, MD, Chief, Section of Surgical Oncology, Hayden Family Endowed Chair for Cancer Research at the UC College of Medicine about the disease.
"The pancreas is upper abdomen, behind the stomach. So it's right here," Dr. Syed Ahmad said, moving his hands across the middle section of his upper body. "So when patients develop abdominal pain, it’s usually right here, radiating to the back."
He said pain that radiates from the abdomen to a person's back could signal a case of pancreatic cancer.
Syed Ahmad, MD, Chief, Section of Surgical Oncology; Hayden Family Endowed Chair for Cancer Research/Photo/Colleen Kelley/UC Marketing + Brand
"It's a silent cancer, and that's why it's a bad cancer," said Ahmad, who also serves as codirector of the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center. "Unfortunately, pancreas cancer does not get diagnosed until later stages because it remains asymptomatic until it gets to the later stages."
Ahmad and his colleagues are doing research on pancreatic cancer in multiple labs, and they're using screening programs to check people who have a family history of the disease. Their goal is to significantly boost the disease's survival rate.
"We have labs looking at how the pancreas cancer cells survive, how they multiply and spread and ways to stop it," Ahmad said. "It's one of the most deadly cancers that we treat."
WLWT-TV reported that doctors are working to learn more specifics about what causes pancreatic cancer. One of the biggest causes, according to Ahmad, is smoking cigarettes.
Davendra Sohal, MD, associate director of clinical research at the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center, spoke about pancreatic cancer research with Local 12.
“There has been success in one category or sub-type of KRAS mutations in the tumor," Sohal said. "There are many KRAS mutations in pancreatic cancer. Almost all of it has it, and that has been targeted. We have scientists in the lab here working on KRAS pathways, as well as clinical trials for patients."
Lead image of Jerry Springer/Chris Williamson/Getty Images
Next Lives Here
The University of Cincinnati is classified as a Research 1 institution by the Carnegie Commission and is ranked in the National Science Foundation's Top-35 public research universities. UC's graduate students and faculty investigate problems and innovate solutions with real-world impact. Next Lives Here.
Related Stories
Why is there a statue of Stephen Foster in Cincinnati?
June 26, 2026
Even if you don't know American parlor composer Stephen Foster, you’ve probably heard his music. His mid-19th century folk songs, including “Camptown Races” and “Oh Susanna,” make appearances in pop culture to this day. There’s a statue of Foster overlooking the Ohio river in Alms Park that prompted WVXU's Bill Rinehart to feature him in his Cincinnati mysteries segment, OKI Wanna Know. WVXU turned to University of Cincinnati music history expert Kristy Swift for a peek into Foster’s life and impact in the region.
World Cup watch parties unite fans, communities
June 26, 2026
UC Assistant Professor Letisha Brown tells Spectrum News that watch parties for sporting events and entertainment are popular because people feed on others' excitement.
Drone-delivered groceries descending into Cincinnati
June 25, 2026
Walmart is bringing drone delivery to Cincinnati, as reported by 700WLW. Host Scott Sloan spoke with Michael Jones, associate professor of economics at the University of Cincinnati's Lindner College of Business, for a look at what it means for Cincinnati shoppers.