The ‘silent killer’

Did you know that pancreatic cancer has the worst survival rate of the 20 most common cancers in the UK?

According to Pancreatic Cancer UK, pancreatic cancer is the fifth biggest cancer killer in England with 7,800 deaths every year.

Pancreatic cancer is caused by the abnormal and uncontrolled growth of cells in the pancreas, a large gland that's part of the digestive system.

Some facts:

• Around 9,000 people are diagnosed every year in the UK
• 93% of people diagnosed in the UK won’t survive beyond five years
• The number of people dying each year from pancreatic cancer continues to rise
• Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of death by cancer in Europe
• 37% of pancreatic cancer cases are preventable.

Like all cancers, the earlier pancreatic cancer is picked up, the easier it is to treat and the more likely treatment is to be successful. As such, it is important that you consult your GP as soon as possible if you have any worrying symptoms.

Unfortunately, however, pancreatic cancer is difficult to identify early because its symptoms often mimic other illnesses. Pancreatic cancer is often diagnosed at an advanced stage as most symptoms may not be evident while the tumour is small and localised. This is one of the major reasons that survival rates are so low.

Common symptoms can include stomach pain; jaundice (yellowing of the skin, whites of the eyes and urine is darker than normal and bowel motions may be lighter in colour); and weight loss. Cancer of the pancreas can also cause other non-specific symptoms such as diabetes, itching, sickness, bowel changes, fever and shivering, indigestion and blood clots.

Early diagnosis campaign

Through the Demand Survival Now campaign, Pancreatic Cancer UK aims to make pancreatic cancer a survivable disease through an increase in research investment; better, faster treatment and care, and a dedicated symptoms awareness campaign.

Colleague Phillip Stella, a technology project manager has kindly agreed to share her own personal experience: ‘We lost our eldest son Robert to pancreatic cancer in January 2014. He was 26-years-old, and was diagnosed in August 2013 after two years of back and forth visits to the GP and A&E, which is common for people with pancreatic cancer.

‘When he was finally diagnosed, he was at Stage 4 with no chance of survival and very tragically, died four months later.

‘We now work with Pancreatic Cancer UK as regional representatives and have raised more than £40,000 to date. Our promise to our son was that we would do whatever we could to ensure no family has the same horrific journey we have had.

‘You can find our latest fundraising challenge here. We would welcome your support to achieve our aim of early detection of this horrific cancer by 2025.’

Support available

Support is available 24/7 from the First Class Support helpline on 0345 266 5060 where colleagues can obtain confidential and practical lifestyle advice as well as direct access to counselling services.

The Feeling First Class website, which can be found at www.feelingfirstclass.co.uk (use code FFC1 to register) has useful health and lifestyle advice and content.

Our in-house charity, the Rowland Hill Fund offers financial aid to colleagues, pensioners and their families in times of need. Visit www.rowlandhillfund.org or call 0345 600 4586.

Visit www.pancreaticcancer.org.uk, www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/pancreatic-cancer or www.nhs.uk/conditions/pancreatic-cancer for further information and access to useful resource materials.