Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month

News - 18 November 2021

Pancreatic cancer develops when cells in the pancreas grow out of control, forming a lump. You might hear this called a tumour or mass.

 

What is Pancreatic Cancer?

There are different types of pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is the most common type. Neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) are less common – they behave differently and are treated differently.

Pancreatic Cancer affects 1 in 53 men and 1 in 57 women in the UK. 31% of cases are preventable.

Symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer:

  • Stomach ache or back pain
  • Weight loss
  • Indigestion
  • Losing your appetite
  • Change to your bowel habits
  • Jaundice (yellow skin or eyes and itchy skin)
  • Blood clots
  • Fatigue
  • Feeling or being sick

Less common symptoms:

There are also some less common symptoms of pancreatic cancer. These include having a fever and shivering, and generally feeling unwell or not quite right. Some people also feel like they can’t swallow their food properly, which can be because pancreatic cancer can make you feel full quickly when you are eating.

What are the known risk factors for pancreatic cancer?

There is good evidence that age, smoking, being overweight or obese, a family history of pancreatic cancer, pancreatitis, and diabetes may increase your risk of pancreatic cancer.

Some evidence has suggested that the following may also increase your risk:

  • Alcohol
  • Red and processed meat
  • History of cancer
  • Blood group
  • Gallstones and gall bladder surgery

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