Pancreatic cancer projected to become one of top four cancer killers

PANCREATIC cancer will become one of the top four killer cancers in the next decade, a charity has warned.

By 2026, 11,279 people are expected to die every year from the disease, a 28% rise on the 8,817 in 2014, Pancreatic Cancer UK said.

This will make pancreatic cancer the fourth biggest cancer killer after lung, bowel and prostate cancers.

The charity is warning a lack of medical breakthroughs in diagnosing the cancer early means most patients are diagnosed too late to receive surgery.

Having an operation to remove the tumour is the only treatment that saves lives.

Currently, only 8% of pancreatic cancer patients are eligible for surgery.

Symptoms of pancreatic cancer can be vague, which is one reason why people are often diagnosed when it is too late to stop the cancer spreading.

Signs include pain in the stomach area or back, jaundice and weight loss.

Around 10,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer every year.

If the cancer is caught early and surgery is possible, some 7% to 25% of people will live for five years or more.

But when the cancer has spread to nearby tissues, survival is typically six to 11 months.

In its most advanced stages, when cancer has spread to another organ or part of the body, survival is as low as two to six months.

Overall, only a fifth of people with pancreatic cancer survive for a year or more.

Pancreatic Cancer UK is calling on the Government and other major research funders to increase the amount of money spent on investigating the disease to £25 million per year in the UK by 2022.

Alex Ford, chief executive of the charity, said: “This dreadful disease is set to become one of the big four cancer killers in less than 10 years because we have not made the vital breakthroughs in early diagnosis methods that are so desperately needed to allow patients and families more precious time together.

“And if we don’t act now, the number of lives stolen by the disease will increase by over a quarter by 2026 in the UK.

“We cannot let this happen.

“We will lead a revolution for people affected, by funding research to allow more patients to be diagnosed earlier, when potentially life-saving surgery is possible.

“We will also focus on discovering new treatments, exploring the potential of personalised medicine and ensuring patients get the best treatment now.

“But it is crucial the Government and other major research funders join us and make pancreatic cancer research a priority today.

“It is only by taking on this tough disease together that we can make the long-overdue progress which will truly transform the future for patients and families.”