A health team caring for patients with pancreatic cancer held a special Macmillan coffee morning today to raise awareness.
The hepato-pancreatico-biliary team at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust hosted the event at the University Hospital of North Tees.
The team not only helped highlight to patients and visitors the symptoms of pancreatic cancer but also raised more than £400 for the Trust’s Macmillan cancer information centre.
Nursing sister Natalie Robson, the Trust’s lead specialist nurse in this area, said: “Patients with pancreatic cancer may present with unexplained weight loss, jaundice, abdominal pain, back pain, indigestion and change in bowel habit.
“Other symptoms might include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and recently diagnosed diabetes.
“Lots of these symptoms are quite non-specific – hence, it is important that we raise the awareness amongst our patients and members of the public to identify the disease early and initiate treatment.
“This was a good opportunity to not only raise awareness to our community but also to raise vital funds for our cancer information centre who have been instrumental in supporting pancreatic cancer patients through their journey and supporting our service.”
Dr Vikram Mitra, the Trust’s lead clinician in this area, said “Pancreatic cancer is the 10th most common cancer and the fifth most common cause of cancer death in the UK.
“Incidence rates for pancreatic cancer have been projected to rise by 6% in the UK between 2014 and 2035. Because of late diagnosis, only 10 – 15% of people with pancreatic cancer are eligible for potentially curative surgery at the time of diagnosis.
“In UK, the average life expectancy on diagnosis is 4 to 6 months and a relative survival to 1 year of approximately 20%.
“However, people have up to a 30% chance of surviving 5 years if their tumour gets detected early and can be surgically removed.
“At the Trust, we are fortunate to have a multi-disciplinary team (gastroenterologist, surgeon, radiologist, pathologist, oncologists, specialist nurses, dietitians, anaesthetists, palliative care team and endoscopy team) who manages and supports patients and their families with this aggressive form of cancer.”