Andy Rourke Health Issue: What To Know About The Smiths Member's Cause of Death Including Symptoms, Survival Rate

The Smiths bassist Andy Rourke died of pancreatic cancer. He was 59.

Rourke's bandmate, Johnny Marr, confirmed his death in a statement on Twitter and revealed that Rourke died of the dreaded type of the disease. He also asked his followers for privacy as the musician's family and friends deal with the dark time in their lives.

He did not share when the musician received an official diagnosis, but he noted that he passed away after a "lengthy" battle with the illness - which also claimed the lives of Aretha Franklin, Luciano Pavarotti, Steve Jobs, Alex Trebek, and more.

What To Know About Andy Rourke's Cause of Death: Pancreatic Cancer Symptoms

The toughest part of being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer is that its symptoms can be mistaken for other less serious diseases, according to Cancer Research UK (via Mirror).

Multiple health organizations have been sharing information about the disease to help people detect it as early as possible, noting that it can start with jaundice or yellowing of one's skin and white of their eyes.

Like the other cancer types, pancreatic cancer can also lead to unexplained weight loss while causing bleeding in the stomach. The aforesaid symptoms are two of the most serious ones associated with the disease.

Other signs include itching, constipation, and fat in the stool. People can find more detailed information on the American Cancer Society's website.

Survival Rate: Can Anyone Diagnosed With It Survive?

Unfortunately, the disease that killed Rourke has one of the lowest survival rates of any cancer type, especially its symptoms can be hard to determine that it became known as a "silent disease," although a huge percentage of patients with the disease could be saved if they are treated sooner.

Data scientist at the University of Oxford, Dr. Weiqi Liao, said patients have a higher chance of survival if detected early. Around five percent of them survive for more than a decade after they receive the official diagnosis.

"It is possible to diagnose patients when they visit their GP, but both patients and GPs need to be aware of the symptoms associated with pancreatic cancer," the scientist went on.

It remains unknown how Rourke developed the disease, but pancreatic cancer is common among those with other medical problems - including chronic pancreatitis - and those with a family history of cancer.