TREBEK BACK ON CHEMO

‘Jeopardy!’ host setback

“Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek has suffered a setback in his fight against pancreatic cancer and will undergo chemotherapy again.

The game-show icon revealed Tuesday that he is back in treatment.

“I lost about 12 pounds in a week,” Trebek (inset) said on “Good Morning America.” “My numbers went sky-high. Much higher than they were when I was first diagnosed. So the doctors have decided that I have to undergo chemo again, and that’s what I’m doing.”

Trebek, 79, said during the interview that prior to his health decline, his doctors said he could switch from chemotherapy to immunotherapy. “My numbers went down to the equivalent of a normal human being who does not have pancreatic cancer,” he said. “So we were all very optimistic.”

Despite experiencing what he calls short surges of intense sadness, Trebek tries to maintain a positive perspective.

“One thing they will not say at my funeral is, ‘Oh, he was taken from us too soon,’ ” Trebek said. “Hey guys, I’m 79 years old. I’ve had one hell of a good life. And I’ve enjoyed it, and the thought of passing on doesn’t frighten me. It doesn’t. Other things do. The effect it will have on my loved ones, yes, that bothers me. It makes me sad. But the thought of myself moving on, hey folks, it comes with the territory.”

Trebek announced his diagnosis of Stage 4 pancreatic cancer in March. “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,” he said in a video.

Last month, Trebek gave an update about his health, saying he returned to work on “Jeopardy!” About 40 of this season’s 230 episodes have been filmed. He has hosted the show since 1984.