This week, Chris Evans MP attended Pancreatic Cancer UK’s event in Parliament to launch their ‘No Time to Wait’ campaign, raising awareness of the importance of early diagnosis and treatment.
Pancreatic Cancer is the deadliest common cancer and affects 10,000 people a year across the UK. In Wales, 488 people died due to pancreatic cancer in 2021, and only 26% of people with pancreatic cancer survived more than 1 year following their diagnosis.
One of the main reasons for incredibly low survival rates is that people are diagnosed too late. Only 14.8% of people are diagnosed at an early stage in Wales, meaning that, for those diagnosed late, it is too late for curative surgery and too late to recover.
This Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, the Islwyn MP is encouraging people to know the symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer, which can include:
- Indigestion
- Tummy or back pain
- Changes in poo, including diarrhoea, constipation or large, pale, smelly, floating poo.
- Unexplained weight loss or loss of appetite
- Jaundice
Chris Evans MP said:
“Very often people with Pancreatic Cancer are diagnosed too late. It is particularly worrying that many people may have been put off seeing their doctors during the pandemic.
I am proud to be supporting the ‘No Time to Wait’ Campaign and helping to raise awareness of the importance of early diagnosis. I encourage anyone who is experiencing these symptoms to book at GP appointment as soon as possible.”
