'Jeopardy!' host Alex Trebek has been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer

“Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek said in a video message on Wednesday that he has been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer.“Now normally, the prognosis for this is not very encouraging, but I‘m going to fight this, and I’m going to keep working,” Trebek said.Trebek has hosted the long-running game show since 1984 and recently renewed his contract through 2022.“Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek said on Wednesday that he has been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Trebek revealed the diagnosis in a video message.“Now normally, the prognosis for this is not very encouraging, but I‘m going to fight this, and I’m going to keep working,” Trebek said. “And with the love and support of my family and friends, and with the help of your prayers also, I plan to beat the low survival-rate statistics for this disease.”According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year relative survival rate for stage 4, or “distant,” pancreatic cancer is 3%, based on those diagnosed between 2008 and 2014.Trebek, 78, has hosted the long-running and popular game show “Jeopardy!” since its daily syndicated version began in 1984. In October, Trebek renewed his contract with the show through 2022.Trebek holds the Guinness World Records title for the most game-show episodes hosted by the same person and has won five Daytime Emmy awards for best game-show host, according to the show's official website.Trebek, who was born in Ontario, began his television career in the early 1960s as the host of Canadian programs such as “Music Hop” and the quiz show “Reach for the Top.” He was also an announcer at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. He moved to the US in the early '70s, where his first hosting gig was for NBC's “The Wizard of Odds.”Read Trebek's full statement below:“Hi everyone, I have some news to share with all of you, and it's in keeping with my longtime policy of being open and transparent with our 'Jeopardy!' fan base. I also wanted to prevent you from reading or hearing some overblown or inaccurate reports regarding my health. So therefore, I wanted to be the one to pass along this information.”Now, just like 50,000 other people in the United States each year, this week I was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Now normally, the prognosis for this is not very encouraging, but I‘m going to fight this, and I’m going to keep working. And with the love and support of my family and friends, and with the help of your prayers also, I plan to beat the low survival-rate statistics for this disease. Truth told, I have to! Because under the terms of my contract, I have to host 'Jeopardy!' for three more years. So help me. Keep the faith, and we'll win. We'll get it done. Thank you.Watch Trebek's message:Youtube Embed: //www.youtube.com/embed/7cInGyxCY9k Width: 560px Height: 315px