However, Dr. Anne Peters, director of USC clinical diabetes programs, said it is still possible that Jobs underwent a Whipple procedure, the operation most often performed for the most common form of pancreatic cancer. And she said the downstream effects of this procedure can also lead to weight loss, as the operation normally removes the tissue responsible for producing important digestive enzymes.
"Life after a Whipple is difficult, because these hormones and enzymes need to be replaced, and often the treatments aren't quite as good as the body's own production of them," she said. "My post-Whipple patients tend to be thin, and have to work hard to maintain adequate nutrition."
She added that the treatment for this type of lingering condition are also straightforward, though they must be maintained for life.
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