My husband is 39 and was diagnosed 6 months ago with stage 4 pancratic cancer with liver mets. He had none of the risk factors for this type of cancer and the only symptoms he had were weight loss and backache. He had been trying to lose weight throught diet and exercise and we thought the back pain was due to the fact that he stood up all day at his job. It was a big shock to get the news that he had cancer. He is on IV chemo (Gemzar) and an oral chemo pill (Tarceva). We also changed our diet to an all organic, no refined sugars, no processed foods or red mest and no white flour or rice diet. We juice at home. He gets a carrott juice and a juice of kale and apple one each per day. We also strongly beleive in wheatgrass juice which he drinks everyday. He takes many vitamins and supplements as well. When we got his diagnosis we also sought out a Natruopathic doctor to advise us along with our oncologist. We were lucky because our oncologist had no problem with this. My experience is that insurance usually won't cover a Natruopth because they are considered alternative but well worth it in our opinion. My husband has made an effort to stay active even when chemo leaves him feeling blah. He takes dailey walks and bike rides. He practices Tai Chi and Chi Gong and he does anything he can to stay positive and make himself feel like his regular self and not a person with cancer. Staying positive is the key. My husbands tumor marker numbers started off in the 5000's and are now down to 320 as of last month. So there is HOPE for this kind of cancer and my advice is to not read any of the statistics because that is all that they are and your son's friend doesn't have to be one of them.
There is a book that I really found helpful if your sons' friend is at all interested in nutrtion and diet and the role they can play in dealing with cancer. It is Beating Cancer With Nutrition by Patrick Quillin. It is very interesting and informative.
Good wishes and best of luck
Keri H