A family in Nebraska has faced a devastating pattern of pancreatic cancer, with three brothers succumbing to the disease over a span of nearly three years, highlighting the challenges of detection and the evolving landscape of treatment for this aggressive cancer.
The story centers on a family of seven brothers from Elgin, Nebraska, a small town on the edge of the Nebraska Sandhills. Their father died of colon and lung cancer in the early 1970s, and several siblings have faced cancer diagnoses over the years. Starting in April 2023, the family endured three tragic losses when three brothers died of pancreatic cancer, a disease known for its poor prognosis and difficulty of early detection.
The youngest of the three who passed, Darrell, died at age 62 after the cancer had already spread beyond the pancreas, limiting treatment options. His older brother Jim, who was 77 and also suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, declined treatment and died peacefully at home in August 2024. The third brother, Bill, 74, fought the disease aggressively with surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation but died in hospice care in February 2026. Throughout their battles, family members grappled with the emotional toll of watching multiple siblings afflicted by the same deadly illness.
The surviving brothers are now confronting their own health risks. The author of the family account, himself a longtime news reporter recently retired from The New York Times, initially delayed medical testing despite the family history. Ultimately, he underwent genetic screening and advanced imaging under the care of specialists at Mount Sinai Health System in New York.
Genetic testing revealed no definitive hereditary markers linked to pancreatic cancer, though one gene showed an alteration of uncertain significance. Medical experts emphasized that a negative genetic screen does not rule out familial risk, especially when parents and siblings cannot be tested or results are incomplete. Consequently, the author entered a surveillance program involving regular MRI scans and planned endoscopic ultrasounds, focusing on early detection.
Pancreatic cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, with low survival rates largely due to late diagnosis. According to estimates from the American Cancer Society, approximately 67,530 new cases will be diagnosed this year, and nearly 52,740 people will die from the disease.
There is growing cautious optimism fueled by recent treatment advances. Among them is a drug, dartraxorabin, which recently received FDA approval after clinical trials showed it doubled median survival in certain patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer, extending life expectancy from under seven months to over 13 months. Additionally, experimental mRNA-based vaccines are under investigation to prevent recurrence in patients who have undergone tumor removal.
Experts acknowledge the difficulty in screening since the disease typically does not present symptoms before age 50, which complicates decisions about whether to test younger at-risk individuals. Monitoring subtle warning signs, such as unexplained weight loss or changes in blood glucose levels, is also crucial.
The family’s experience underscores the importance of vigilant medical surveillance, personalized care, and awareness of evolving treatments in the fight against pancreatic cancer. For the surviving Getzfred brothers, the loss of their siblings remains a stark reminder of the disease’s severity, but ongoing medical advances provide a measure of hope going forward.