by Josh Forman, Head of Science, Education & Outreach
November is pancreatic cancer awareness month, and this brought back my own personal interaction with the disease. I very clearly recall, that during my childhood, a close friend of my parents, Robert, passed away very suddenly from pancreatic cancer. He was a rugby player – big, strong, full of humour and life. His death came as such a shock. He passed away within a month of being diagnosed.
It was drummed into me early on that pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest forms of cancer. Later, as I studied and worked more closely with the medical world, that message only became clearer. Survival rates are still heartbreakingly low compared to many other cancers.
A large part of that is because pancreatic cancer is so often diagnosed late. Symptoms can be vague and subtle, and by the time they become clear, the disease is often advanced. That was the case for Robert.
The pancreas itself is a vital but easily overlooked organ. Many people only know of it in connection with Type 1 diabetes. Yet it plays an essential role in our health every single day, producing enzymes that help digest food and hormones, such as insulin, that regulate how our bodies use energy. It may not be the most glamorous organ, but it’s indispensable.
Recognising the Signs
Because of the pancreas’s role in digestion, symptoms of pancreatic cancer often start there, but they can be easy to miss or dismiss. Common early signs include:
- Ongoing indigestion or heartburn
- Changes to your bowel habits or stool
- Unexplained weight loss
- Bloating, nausea, or feeling unusually full after eating
- Jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes)
- Fatigue
If any of these symptoms have changed recently, it’s worth a chat with your GP, especially if you’re also experiencing pain in your stomach or back. Most of the time, these symptoms will have a much less serious cause, but it’s always better to be sure.
How Common Is It?
The good news is that pancreatic cancer isn’t among the most common cancers. Around 10,500 people are diagnosed each year in the UK, making it the 10th most common cancer. The challenge lies in the outcomes. It’s the 5th leading cause of cancer death, which speaks to the difficulty of early detection and treatment.
Why There’s No Routine Screening
Unlike breast, bowel, or prostate cancer, there’s currently no routine screening for pancreatic cancer in the general population. This isn’t neglect – it’s based on sound medical reasoning.
Because pancreatic cancer is relatively rare, mass screening wouldn’t be effective. The tests currently available are also complex – there isn’t one single, reliable test that can diagnose it. Instead, several investigations are usually needed, which can be invasive, time-consuming, and expensive.
There is promising research into specific biomarkers that could one day allow for earlier, simpler detection, but that’s not yet part of clinical practice.
What You Can Do
For most people, being aware of the symptoms and listening to your body is the best defence. For those with a higher risk, that awareness becomes even more important.
If you carry a BRCA gene variation, for example, research shows your lifetime risk of pancreatic cancer rises to around 5%. That’s still lower than the risk of breast, ovarian, or prostate cancer. But it’s not something to ignore. Knowing your risk helps you and your healthcare team stay alert to any potential signs early on.
Pancreatic cancer remains one of the toughest cancers to diagnose and treat, but awareness genuinely makes a difference. If something feels off, or if your digestion has changed in a way that doesn’t seem normal for you, please don’t ignore it. Trust your instincts and speak to your GP.
Even small steps – listening to your body, asking questions, staying informed – can lead to earlier diagnosis and for some, a better chance at treatment.
