Pancreatic cancer is the 10th most common cancer in the UK with 10,500 new cases being diagnosed each year. It is the 5th biggest cancer killer in the UK with 9000 deaths every year, and is predicted to overtake breast cancer as the 4th most common cancer killer by 2030. Pancreatic cancer is rare in people under the age of 40 with most cases occurring in the over 65s, and is much more common in developed countries. Famous people who are known to have died from pancreatic cancer include Patrick Swayze, Luciano Pavarotti and Alan Rickman.
Sadly, pancreatic cancer has one of the worst survival rates for any of the common cancers, with a 5-year survival of less than 5%. This is largely because pancreatic cancer may not cause any significant symptoms until it is quite advanced and often has spread to other parts of the body by the time it is diagnosed. Approximately 80% of people are not diagnosed until their cancer has spread to other organs in the body. Unfortunately, due to the difficulty in detecting it, many people visit their doctors or the hospital several times before a diagnosis is made.
Risk factors for pancreatic cancer include smoking, heavy alcohol use, obesity and diabetes, along with some rare genetic conditions. Studies have shown that stopping smoking and maintaining a healthy weight can significantly reduce your risk of developing pancreatic cancer. Further studies in to whether red meat consumption is a separate risk factor remain ongoing.
It is still very important to be alert to possible symptoms of pancreatic cancer so that you can be tested promptly. Five-year survival rates increase to around 20% if the cancer is diagnosed early.
Sufferers of pancreatic cancer can notice unexplained weight loss with a loss of appetite or a sensation of fullness in their stomach after eating only a small amount. This can often be accompanied by upper abdominal pain which can wrap around to the back and is usually worse at night. They may notice jaundice, a condition where first the whites of the eyes, then the skin becomes yellow. Urine colour will often darken, whilst stools become pale and ‘fatty,’ and other digestive complaints may arise such as nausea, constipation and bloating. Rarer signs and symptoms of the disease include unprovoked blood clots and clinical depression. If pancreatic cancer has spread, most commonly to the lymph nodes, the intestines or the lungs, other symptoms may arise including swollen glands, breathlessness and changes in bowel habit.
A person exhibiting any of the above symptoms should be investigated urgently with blood tests and a CT or ultrasound scan. Further testing might include a biopsy. Please seek prompt medical help if you notice any symptoms that you are concerned about.
Currently treatment plans are made on an individual basis and include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and palliative care. In recent years, there have been significant increases in funding
for research in to pancreatic cancer to try and help improve recognition, diagnosis and treatment options, and the hope is that survival rates will start to improve in the years to come.
