Pancreatic cancer survivor from Cornwall tells Pirate FM she's "lucky to be alive"
It is feared the pandemic is causing a 'continued drop in survival rates'
Last updated 19th Nov 2020
A pancreatic cancer survivor from north Cornwall has told Pirate FM how she is lucky to be alive.
Yvonne Carse from Launceston is raising awareness of the UK's 'deadliest cancer' as part of World Pancreatic Cancer Day.
It has been reported that the coronavirus pandemic has had major implications on cancer treatments, and Pancreatic Cancer Action fears it is responsible for a 'continued drop in survival rates'.
The national charity is calling for an urgent response to latest data which reveals the COVID-19 restrictions have been responsible for a 17% decrease in survival from the disease – which already has the lowest survival rate of the 22 most common cancers in the UK.
Yvonne, who was a headteacher in a village school, was diagnosed three weeks before Christmas back in 2008.
She had been suffering from stomach pains and went to see the doctor. She had a CT scan and an MRI scan and was told she had a shadow on her pancreas.
"It was an absolute total shock, I'd never had a day off work for illness, I was 56 at the time and just couldn't believe it, we only have one daughter and the worst thing was having to tell her that I was ill.
"It is just awful, I can't say how awful it is, and I think for anyone suffering from any kind of severe illness, it is the worst thing having to tell your family that you have that illness."
Yvonne Carse, pancreatic survivor from Launceston
Yvonne had surgery in the January and had the tumour removed along with part of her pancreas, and then went through six months of chemotherapy.
She says it is vital that people get an early diagnosis, and warns people who can't get their treatment because of the pandemic are facing a 'death sentence'.
During the height of the pandemic earlier this year, it is estimated that 1,000 fewer pancreatic cancer diagnoses were made and surgeries fell to almost zero. Worryingly, referrals to secondary care also fell by 80%, considerably more than other common cancer types (lung cancer referrals fell by 60%, for example).2,4,5
Pancreatic cancer is the 5th biggest cause of cancer death in the UK; however, it is set to become the 4th biggest by 2026 as other cancers survival rates continue to improve. The survival statistics for pancreatic cancer have not changed markedly in nearly 50 years.
Early diagnosis is key to improving survival rates as the sooner the disease is diagnosed, the better the prognosis. For those diagnosed in time for surgery, their chances of survival increases to 30%.
In line with the latest NHS campaign urging anyone concerned about cancer to get checked, Pancreatic Cancer Action aims to instil vital awareness of this disease and its symptoms.
The following symptoms could be a sign of pancreatic cancer:
Abdominal pain
Mid-back pain
Indigestion
Unexplained weight loss
Pale and smelly stools
Dark urine
Loss of appetite/nausea.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms that will not go away and are not normal for you, please speak to your GP.