When I was in medical school some 30 years ago once you diagnosed pancreatic cancer the patient had three months to live on average. I cannot believe that surgery might have prolonged his life more than a few months...vut then again I might be wrong. With Obamacare no one will be getting that surgery.
I’ve forgotten the type of pancreatic CA that Jobs had, but IIRC, it was one of the less aggressive types. And I didn’t know he was diagnosed in 2004. 7 years is a LONG time to live with pancreatic cancer. Whipple procedures used to have a 25% mortality from the surgery alone. Now it’s around 2%.
I think that people like Steve Jobs would still get any surgery they want. It's just us "common" people who will be put on indefinite wait lists...then told when we get to the head of the line that we waited too long and surgery will be pointless.