There's a certain point that if they catch it before that, there is actually hope. Problem is it isn't caught before that point in the majority of cases.
That is how it was explained to me by someone whose husband passed due to PanCan. And it's a horrible way to go.
It started to go to hell when Gene took the OU job then returned a week or two later. They've been mediocre at best since. Last year just seemed to be the year it did after Wedge walked away due to personal reasons in January.