Pancreatic cancer, known as the ‘silent disease’ due to the lack of identifiable early symptoms, affects around 8,800 people in Britain a year. This type of cancer affects men and women, normally between the ages of 50–80. In recent times we have seen Steve Jobs, Patrick Swayze and Alan Rickman succumb to the disease.
According to Cancer Research UK, more than eight in 10 people with pancreatic cancer are not diagnosed until their cancer has already spread, meaning surgery to remove the tumour is no longer an option. For people diagnosed with a locally advanced disease the average life expectancy is a mere six to 11 months. There are currently no reliable methods of detecting the early-stage disease.
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Urine tests
New research, however, does offer some hope. Scientists report that they have developed a urine test that may be helpful in detecting pancreatic cancer at an early stage. A report published in Clinical Cancer Research (2015), suggests three proteins—LYVE-1, REG1A and TFF1—were measured in higher levels in pancreatic cancer patients. Using all three proteins, scientists were able to detect early stage pancreatic cancer more than 90 percent of the time. However, more research is needed to see if a screening test could be developed based on these three markers.
National tissue bank
Another promising scientific development is the launch of the world’s first national tissue bank for pancreatic cancer. This is being set up at Barts Cancer Institute in London to determine earlier diagnoses, which will enable doctors to remove the cancerous tumour before it spreads.
The tissue bank will store samples of pancreatic tumours as well as blood, urine and saliva samples, together with their detailed medical and genetic information—helping researchers get exactly the right type for their work.
The project is being led by a surgeon at the Royal London Hospital, Professor Hemant Kocher, who explains that: ‘The Tissue Bank will help us to tackle this disease with earlier diagnosis. Many proteins associated with pancreatic cancer are also found in blood, urine and saliva, so having these materials from patients alongside the tissue samples helps us to find ways to diagnose the disease at an earlier, curative stage.’
Diagnosing Pancreatic Cancer
Though new research is promising, we still have a long way to go towards early detection of pancreatic cancer. If you find yourself experiencing any of the symptoms outlined below, visit your local GP.
Your GP will normally test your urine, look at your eyes and the colour of your skin to check for traces of jaundice, and also take a blood sample. Your doctor may also examine your abdomen and check for any swelling.
To help make the diagnosis, CT or MRI tests are performed on the abdomen. The diagnosis comes from a biopsy by taking a tissue sample from any tumour located; this is performed either with a needle through the skin or during an operation.
Symptoms
The first noticeable symptoms of pancreatic cancer are often:
· Stomach pains – In the beginning, the pain might come sporadically, but as the tumour becomes larger and more advanced, the pain may be more constant and last longer. The pain is often worse when you lie down or after you’ve eaten.
- Unexpected weight loss – Pancreatic cancer is more likely to cause weight loss than some other cancers because the healthy pancreas produces digestive enzymes, which help food to be absorbed into your body.
- Jaundice – The most obvious sign of jaundice is yellow skin and yellowing of the whites of the eyes. It also causes your urine to be dark yellow or orange. Jaundice, however, is more often a sign of conditions such as gallstones or hepatitis than it is of cancer.
It’s important to remember that these symptoms can be caused by many different conditions, and are not necessarily a sign of the onset of cancer. However, you should contact your GP if you’re concerned, or if these symptoms start suddenly.
Risk factors
· Smoking Around 30 percent of occurrences of pancreatic cancers in the UK may be due to smoking. Chewing tobacco also increases the risk.
· Overweight Some studies have found that being overweight and/or physically inactive may increase the risk of pancreatic cancer.
· Family history About 5–10 of every 100 cases of pancreatic cancer are possibly linked to faulty family genes.
· Age As people get older their risk of developing pancreatic cancer increases. Most people who develop pancreatic cancer are 65 or older—it rarely affects younger people.
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