Three in ten put off going to GP for pancreatic cancer symptoms
Read what the main symptoms of the disease are
A "worrying" number of people would put off seeking help for symptoms of pancreatic cancer, a charity has warned.
A new poll has revealed that 28% of people would wait for around three months before seeking help for the common symptoms of pancreatic cancer.
Pancreatic Cancer UK said that anyone with common symptoms of the disease should seek help from a GP if they persist for more than four weeks.
As outlined by the NHS, the main symptoms of pancreatic cancer can include:
- the whites of your eyes or your skin turn yellow (jaundice), you may also have itchy skin, darker pee and paler poo than usual
- loss of appetite or losing weight without trying to
- feeling tired or having no energy
- a high temperature, or feeling hot or shivery
The NHS also warns pancreatic cancer may not have any symptoms, or they might be hard to spot, which makes it one of the deadliest cancers.
Moreover, if someone suffers from conditions that affect digestion, such as irritable bowel syndrome, may overlook symptoms like diarrhoea, constipation or indigestion - though they can also be pancreatic cancer symptoms.
It's important to be checked by a GP if symptoms change, get worse, or don't feel normal, according to the NHS website.
No need to panic but it's 'vital' people learn more
The new poll not only revealed that 28% of people would wait three months before seeking help for the common symptoms of pancreatic cancer, but that 22% wouldn't feel confident recognising jaundice.
Jaundice is one of the "red flag" symptoms of the disease, the charity added.
Chief executive of Pancreatic Cancer UK Diana Jupp, said it is "hugely worrying" to hear that so many people would put off seeking help for so long.
"We do not want people to panic if they have some or all of these symptoms because most people who do will not have pancreatic cancer," she added.
"But it is absolutely vital that people learn more about this disease, talk to their loved ones and their GPs, and help us end the culture of silence around the deadliest common cancer in the UK."
Early detection is essential for survival
Around four in five people with the disease are diagnosed when the cancer is at a late stage and they have missed out on the chance of life-saving treatment.
Half of those with the disease die within three months of diagnosis, Pancreatic Cancer UK said.
More than 10,000 people are diagnosed with the disease in the UK each year.
But early detection gives people better odds of survival so the charity is urging the public to seek care if they have any symptoms.
Ms Jupp added: "There is no time to wait with pancreatic cancer. Thousands of people a year are told it's too late, that nothing can be done for them. It is vital that people are diagnosed as early as possible to give them the best chance of having life-saving treatment."
'My mum was a very proud lady'
Chelsea Bennet's mother, Joanne Eales, died from the disease in April.
Mrs Eales first began experiencing symptoms in February 2020. She saw a GP but, due to pandemic pressures, booked in for a private CT scan.
She was told she had stage four pancreatic cancer and that nothing could be done to save her life.
Chelsea said: "It began with a mild stomach and backache and then she had a slight change in her bowel habits.
"Mum thought it was just one of those things - she thought 'Maybe it's because of my age' because of the onset of the menopause.
"She was still living a normal life and doing normal things.
"My mum was a very proud lady. Even a week before she passed away, she was still painting her nails.
"During that time, I lived between two houses. I would pick the children up from school and later go to my mum's. I would spend all night at my mum's. Being an only child, there was nobody else to share that burden with.
"Very often, I looked at her and wondered how this had happened. Pancreatic cancer is something we all need to be aware of because it is such a deadly cancer."
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