A Harvard Medical School researcher is saying that Steve Job’s reluctance to pursue traditional medical treatments for his cancer diagnosis could have hastened his own demise.

For nine months after doctors informed him that he had pancreatic cancer (a type of cancer not typically thought of to be fatal) the Buddhist vegetarian hoped to avoid surgery by eating a special diet. Finally in July 2004 the tech giant underwent surgery at Stanford University Medical Center. But by that point it was too late.

He had to have his pancreas and duodenum removed. The cancer also spread to all the major parts of his liver which, as doctors will tell you, can take some considerable amount of time.

Posting on a popular forum for Silicon Valley executives, Ramzi Amri said, "Given the circumstances, it seems sound to assume that Mr. Jobs' choice for alternative medicine has eventually led to an unnecessarily early death."

Perhaps in the end the greatest piece of knowledge the often stubborn inventor left mankind with was the importance of early action in all cases of cancer.

(Source: Gawker)