Fiona
Bruce MP meets with local activist campaigning to raise awareness of Pancreatic
Cancer
Fiona Bruce
MP met with local resident Linda Edwards, a Regional Representative of
Pancreatic Cancer Action to discuss the disease and how to raise awareness
about symptoms and treatments with the general public.
Despite
pancreatic cancer being the 5th biggest cancer killer in the UK, only
1% of overall cancer research funding goes towards the study of pancreatic
cancer – yet, alarmingly, pancreatic cancer is set to overtake breast cancer to
become the UK’s fourth biggest cancer killer by 2030.
As with many
cancers, early diagnosis is the key and with many people who suffer from
pancreatic cancer are being diagnosed too late. The average life expectancy on
diagnosis is a mere three to four months.
Sometimes
known as a ‘silent killer’, patients do present with symptoms and 40 per cent
of patients will visit their GP four times or more before a referral is made.
Over 50 per cent of referrals are made via A&E because their symptoms have
become so acute. The survival rate has not changed in 40 years while survival
for other cancers has improved significantly since the 1970s.
In support of
Pancreatic Awareness Month Fiona Bruce joined local campaigner Linda Edwards to
call for local residents to come forward to join the local Pancreatic Cancer
Action support group.
