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Patrick Swayze (1952–2009) -

Hollywood A-lister Patrick Swayze is famous for his roles in 'Dirty Dancing' (1987) and 'Ghost' (1990). In 2008, he was diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer. The actor died the following year, on September 14, 2009, aged 57.

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Steve Jobs (1955–2011) -

Steve Jobs is remembered as the man who co-founded Apple Computers and pioneered a series of revolutionary technologies, including the iPhone and iPad. In 2003, Jobs discovered that he had a neuroendocrine tumor, a rare form of pancreatic cancer. He battled the disease for eight years before passing away on October 5, 2011. He was 56 years old.

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Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1933–2020) -

One of the most influential lawyers and jurists of her generation, Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg advocated for equal rights for women and became the architect of a legal strategy to eradicate gender discrimination in the United States. Pancreatic cancer took her life at 87, on September 18, 2020.

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Joan Crawford (190?–1977) -

At the time of her death on May 10, 1977 from a heart attack while suffering from pancreatic cancer, no one was quite sure how old Joan Crawford was: her date of birth has never been ascertained. The Hollywood legend's age was reported as being anywhere between 69 and 73 years old.

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Luciano Pavarotti (1935–2007) -

Luciano Pavarotti was a giant of the opera world. No other tenor of the modern era faced down high Cs like the man from Modena. Pavarotti was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in July 2006, dying the following year on September 6, 2007, aged 71.

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Aretha Franklin (1942–2018) -

The legendary "Queen of Soul," Aretha Franklin remains a music legend, and is one of the world's best-selling artists with hits like 'Respect' and '(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.' Her death from pancreatic cancer on August 16, 2018, aged 76, was mourned by fans the world over. 

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Alan Rickman (1946–2016) -

Alan Rickman was a highly respected stage, television, and film actor, best known for the 'Harry Potter' film franchise. The British actor first received treatment for prostate cancer before later being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He died aged 69 on January 14, 2016.

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John Hurt (1940–2017) -

British actor John Hurt enjoyed a glittering film and television career. Notable roles include his portrayal of Quentin Crisp in 'The Naked Civil Servant' (1975), and as John Merrick in 'The Elephant Man' (1980). Hurt achieved cult status as the chest-bursting victim in 1979's 'Alien.' He died aged 77 on January 25, 2017, after a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer.

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Dizzy Gillespie (1917–1993) - One of the most celebrated names in jazz, trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie was known for his trademark bent horn and cheeks that puffed out like a giant gopher. Gillespie was 75 when he died of pancreatic cancer on January 6, 1993.

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Marcello Mastroianni (1924–1996) -

Italian actor Marcello Mastroianni, famed for his iconic roles in films like 'La Dolce Vita' (1960), '8½' (1963), and 'A Special Day' (1977), was 72 when he fell victim to pancreatic cancer, on December 19, 1996.

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Syd Barrett (1946–2006) -

Founding front man and songwriter for Pink Floyd, Syd Barrett had long spiraled into mental illness before his demise at 60 from pancreatic cancer on July 7, 2006.

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Michael Landon (1936–1991) -

Forever known for his roles as Little Joe Cartwright in 'Bonanza' (1959–1973) and as Charles Ingalls in 'Little House on the Prairie' (1974–1983), Michael Landon succumbed to a particularly aggressive form of pancreatic cancer known as exocrine adenocarcinoma on July 1, 1991. He was 54 years old.

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Sally Ride (1951–2012) -

Astronaut Sally Ride broke the gender barrier on June 18, 1983, when she became the first American woman in space, rocketing to the stars on Challenger's STS-7 mission with four male crewmates. The history-making heroine—and the first known astronaut to have been LGBTQ—was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2011. She died of the disease on July 23, 2012, aged 61.

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Count Basie (1904–1984) -

Count Basie was one of the leading musicians of the Big Band "Swing" era. His orchestra featured a host of legendary singers, including Billie Holiday. Basie was 79 years old when he died of pancreatic cancer on April 16, 1984.

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René Magritte (1898–1967) -

Belgian surrealist artist René Magritte, known for his wacky depictions of familiar objects in unfamiliar, unexpected contexts, died on August 15, 1967 after losing his battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 68 years old.

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Rex Harrison (1908–1990) -

Star of 1964's 'My Fair Lady' alongside Audrey Hepburn, and cinema's very own Doctor Doolittle in 1967, English actor Rex Harrison passed away from pancreatic cancer on June 2, 1990, at 82, having only been diagnosed with the disease a short time before.

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Terry Hall (1959–2022) -

A pivotal figure in the British music scene, Terry Hall came to prominence in the late 1970s as the lead singer of the 2-tone band The Specials, and later recorded with groups such as Fun Boy Three and the Colourfield. The singer-songwriter died on December 18, 2022 from pancreatic cancer, at the age of 63.

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Gene Upshaw (1945–2008) -

Football superstar Gene Upshaw remains the only player in NFL history to reach the Super Bowl with the same team (the Oakland Raiders) in three different decades. An inductee of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Upshaw's passing was rapid, having been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer on August 17, 2008, and dying three days later, on August 20, aged 63.

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Jon Lord (1941–2012) -

Jon Lord, keyboardist with British rock band Deep Purple, passed away from pancreatic cancer on July 16, 2012, aged 71.

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Sharon Jones (1956–2016) -

Cancer claimed the life of American soul and funk singer Sharon Jones on November 18, 2016. She had originally been diagnosed with bile duct cancer in 2013: this was later changed to stage II pancreatic cancer. Despite undergoing initially successful chemotherapy, the cancer returned. She was 60 years old.

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Benjamin Orr (1947–2000) -

Co-founder of the rock band The Cars, whose hits include 1984's 'Drive,' Benjamin Orr lost his battle with pancreatic cancer on October 3, 2000, at just 53 years old.

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Juliet Prowse (1936–1996) -

Dancer and actress Juliet Prowse, who wooed cinemagoers with her moves in films such as 'Can-Can' (1960) and 'G.I. Blues' (1960), the latter alongside Elvis Presley, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 1994. Remission gave her another two years before she succumbed to the disease on September 14, 1996. She was 59 years old.

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Richard Crenna (1926–2003) -

Film, television, and radio actor Richard Crenna's most famous role was that of John Rambo's ex-commanding officer, Colonel Sam Trautman, in the first three 'Rambo' pictures. Crenna developed pancreatic cancer and died of heart failure at age 76, on January 17, 2003.

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Pete Postlethwaite (1946–2011) -

No less an authority than Steven Spielberg called English actor Pete Postlethwaite "the best actor in the world." Postlethwaite, who died of pancreatic cancer on January 2, 2011 aged 64, was known for films such as 'In the Name of the Father' (1993), and Spielberg's own 'The Lost World: Jurassic Park' (1997).

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Henry Mancini (1924–1994) -

Among other memorable tunes, Henry Mancini is responsible for the catchy, jazzy theme for the 1963 movie 'The Pink Panther.' Often cited as one of the greatest composers in the history of film, Mancini was working right up until his death from pancreatic cancer on June 14, 1994, having recently celebrated his 70th birthday.

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Wolfgang Petersen (1941–2022) -

German film director Wolfgang Petersen, whose credits include 'Das Boot' (1981) and 'In the Line of Fire' (1993), died at the age of 81 from pancreatic cancer on August 12, 2022.

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Simone Signoret (1921–1985) -

One of the greats of French cinema, award-winning actress Simone Signoret shot to fame in 1950 in the then-controversial 'La Ronde.' She died relatively young at 64 on September 30, 1985, a victim of pancreatic cancer.

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Ben Gazzara (1930–2012) -

Two cancers claimed the life of Ben Gazzara—throat cancer and pancreatic cancer. He died aged 81 on February 3, 2012. The American actor's best-known films include 'The Bridge at Remagen' (1969), 'Husbands' (1970), and 'Dogville' (2003).

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Karl Lagerfeld (1933–2019) -

A controversial trailblazer, Karl Lagerfeld was one of the most influential names in the fashion industry. The creative director of the French fashion house Chanel, a position held from 1983 until his death, Lagerfeld passed away from complications of pancreatic cancer aged 85 on February 19, 2019.

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Wilko Johnson (1947–2022) -

Wilko Johnson confounded doctors after living beyond an initial terminal pancreatic cancer diagnosis in 2013. The celebrated English guitarist found fame with the pub rock/rhythm and blues band Dr. Feelgood in the 1970s. He continued performing until the cancer returned, eventually passing away on November 21, 2022, having reached his 75th year.

Sources: (American Cancer Society) (The Guardian) (Pro Football Hall of Fame)

See also: Meet the stars who have battled cancer

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