Apple boss Jobs in cancer scare

Mr Jobs regularly shows off new Apple products

Apple chief executive Steve Jobs has undergone surgery for a rare form of pancreatic cancer.

In an e-mail to staff at Apple, Mr Jobs revealed that he recently had surgery to remove a tumourous growth from his pancreas.

Mr Jobs said the cancer was caught and removed early enough to ensure that he would make a full recovery.

He is expected to spend the next month recovering from the operation before returning to run Apple in September.

Time off

In his message to all Apple's staff Mr Jobs said he had been diagnosed as suffering from an islet cell neuroendocrine tumour.

Steve is an extremely hands-on CEO. We have some very clear priorities for the company for months to come Timothy Cook, Apple

He expressed his relief that the pancreatic cancer he contracted was not the more widely-known adenocarcinoma form.

He wrote: "I mention this because when one hears 'pancreatic cancer' (or Googles it), one immediately encounters this far more common and deadly form, which, thank God, is not what I had."

The early diagnosis and surgery should mean Mr Jobs does not have to undergo chemotherapy or radiation treatment.

During Mr Jobs' month off, Apple will be run by Timothy Cook who currently is in charge of Apple's sales and operations.

"Steve is an extremely hands-on CEO," said Mr Cook. "We have some very clear priorities for the company for months to come."

Mr Jobs was one of the co-founders of Apple, but left in 1985 to start another computer venture.

He returned to Apple in 1997 and became full-time chief executive once again in 2000.

Since then Apple has enjoyed something of a renaissance and enjoyed success thanks to the launch of the iMac, iPod and iTunes music store.