Pancreatic cancer: what are the symptoms and what is the survival rate

Ali Stunt was originally diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2007 at the age of 41. After reaching the ten year survival mark she joined the one per cent club, however, because the number of survivors who make it to 15 years is so small in the UK, there are currently no statistics available.

Ali said: “Pancreatic cancer is the UK’s fifth biggest cancer killer. Twenty-eight people are diagnosed with the disease each day. For those diagnosed in time for surgery, their chances of surviving beyond five years increase by up to 30 per cent.

"Back in 2011, the five-year survival rate was just three per cent. In 2022, that figure is 7.3 per cent, highlighting that awareness works, and there is still work to be done.

“I am one of the lucky ones to survive 15 years following a diagnosis for pancreatic cancer.

"It is my mission that there are many more who join my survivor’s club and that it is no longer exclusive to one per cent of those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.”

Ali, from Billingshurst, founded Pancreatic Cancer Action in 2010 with a focus specifically on early diagnosis.

In 2006 Ali started to feel ill and a blood test from her GP showed high blood glucose levels which were indicative of Type 2 diabetes, which was a red flag for Ali who had no family history of diabetes.

A year later, pain started to develop in the middle of Ali’s back, and when eating, she would experience a gnawing pain as the food went down, leaving her doubling up.

She was experiencing weight loss, diarrhea and generally feeling unwell. Upon a visit to A&E, it was suspected that she had gallstones.

An ultrasound was booked for six weeks after the A&E visit. Due to Ali’s husband having private medical insurance, Ali could be seen within two days. If she had not been seen, she would have been mere weeks away from not being able to have the life-saving surgery to remove her tumour.

An emergency ultrasound, followed by a CT scan, found a five-centimetre mass on her pancreas.

The diabetes Ali had been diagnosed with a year earlier had been an early sign of pancreatic cancer.

She then underwent a ‘distal pancreatectomy’ and ‘splenectomy’, where 80 per cent of the pancreas and all the spleen were removed. Ali received six months of combination chemotherapy and six weeks of chemotherapy treatment.

Ali said: “At that time, I knew nothing about pancreatic cancer. I knew I had a pancreas and what it did, but that was the extent of my knowledge. When my surgeon said they were going to operate in a week’s time, I didn’t realise that only eight to ten per cent of people with pancreatic cancer are able to have that operation.

“It was a scary time for me, my husband and our sons, who were then aged 14 and 10. Afterwards, realising I’d been so fortunate, I made it one of my missions to not just improve the early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, but also to make sure people got easy-to-understand patient information because when I was diagnosed, there was no written information I could take home which left me in the dark and reaching for Dr.Google for information.”

Although she is now free from pancreatic cancer, Ali has Type 3c diabetes. Type 3c diabetes can develop when the pancreas stops producing enough of the hormone called insulin. This can happen due to an illness or a condition that affects or damages the pancreas or when you’ve had surgery to remove part of the pancreas. When there isn’t enough insulin in the body, the blood glucose levels rise above the average level and, if left untreated, can lead to complications. Approximately nine per cent of all diabetes cases are type 3c, but the condition is often misdiagnosed.

Pancreatic Cancer Action has pushed for many positive changes in terms of direct referrals for CT scans for GPs, direct referrals for pharmacists, and breaking down the barriers so the general public can better understand the symptoms and risk factors.

The symptoms for pancreatic cancer include: jaundice, upper abdominal pain or discomfort, mid back pain or discomfort where a bra strap would sit and maybe eased by leaning forward, pale and smelly stools that don't flush easily, loss of appetite, indigestion, nausea and vomiting, new onset diabetes, fatigue, change in bowel habit and unexplained weight loss.Often experiencing symptoms does not mean you have cancer but if they are persistent or worsening that are not usual for you then you should visit your GP or call NHS 111.You may not have all these symptoms and they may come and go, varying in severity.

The charity is currently involved in the Action on the Ground project in Glasgow, which reaches out to local and diverse communities to raise awareness. It is also continuing to support a nursing post in Scotland and breaking down the language barrier by publishing resources in six of the most commonly spoken languages in the UK (after English).

For more about the charity, visit pancreaticcanceraction.org/

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