Pancreatic cancer: Patients being let down

7th October 2011 - Steve Jobs' death from pancreatic cancer has led to an outpouring of grief worldwide. Two years ago the actor Patrick Swayze died from the same condition, and once again it has also brought pancreatic cancer to public attention.

The pancreas is a leaf shaped gland situated high in the abdomen. It produces digestive enzymes and the hormone, insulin. Unfortunately the symptoms of pancreatic cancer are shared with a number of other illnesses and it can be difficult to diagnose.

Clara McKay from the charity Pancreatic Cancer UK, told us via e mail: "Pancreatic Cancer UK's research has found that people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer can make up to five or more visits to their GP before being diagnosed. This reinforces research undertaken by the Department of Health that found that pancreatic cancer patients are more likely to visit their GP more often than other cancer patients prior to diagnosis."

Just last month the charity published a study into the illness which annually affects just over 8,000 people in the UK. It makes sombre reading.

The Study for Survival

Pancreatic cancer is the most fatal of all cancers in the UK. The Study for Survival report drew on the experiences and views of over 1,000 people living and working with pancreatic cancer, including more than 850 pancreatic cancer patients and carers and nearly 175 nurses and GPs.

The result was what the charity refers to as compelling evidence that pancreatic cancer patients in the UK fare poorly on all fronts in comparison to other cancers.

The study found:

• Pancreatic cancer outcomes in the UK are poor with only 3% of patients living five years or more.
• Pancreatic cancer receives less than 1% of overall research funding for cancer in the UK, whilst causing 5% of the deaths.
• UK Survival rates are the worst of any cancer with no improvement in five and ten year survival in the last 40 years.
• UK survival rates also lag behind many other countries, including other European countries, as well as the US, Canada and Australia.
• In the UK, most pancreatic cancer patients (about 80%) are diagnosed at an advanced stage of the disease when cure is no longer an option. Even those patients who are diagnosed at a stage when their cancer can be treated with surgery do poorly with only between 7%-25% surviving five years or more.

Commenting on the study in a statement, professor Sir Mike Richards, national clinical director for cancer and end of life care said: "Pancreatic cancer is a challenging cancer - but we need to take this information and the opportunity it presents to improve survival and quality of life for everyone. Pancreatic cancer must not be written off as a hopeless cause."