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What we do: Early diagnosis
Our mission is to improve the survival rates of pancreatic cancer by ensuring more people are diagnosed early and in time for surgery – currently the only potential cure – and improve the quality of life of patients. Our vision is a day when everyone is diagnosed early and survives pancreatic cancer.
Why early diagnosis?
Early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer is important because if it can be diagnosed and treated at an early stage, before the tumour has spread or grown too large, then survival rates for patients are significantly better. Every day 29 people die from pancreatic cancer.
Pancreatic Cancer Action: What we do
We raise public awareness of pancreatic cancer and its symptoms
Public awareness of pancreatic cancer is very low with half of all patients having not heard of the disease before their own diagnosis.
This is why it is one of our key aims to improve this so more people recognise the symptoms they or a loved one may have and go to the doctors sooner.
We do this through our:
We provide education and awareness training for healthcare professionals
Healthcare professionals have a vital part to play in early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer which is why we provide free resources for GPs, pharmacists and pancreatic cancer specialists.
We do this with our:
- GP aware UK Rollouts
- Pharmacy Aware Programme
- CPD credited healthcare professional e-learning modules and seminars
- Exhibit/speak at healthcare conferences
We campaign and lobby the government and key stake holders for change
It is important that key stakeholders and policy makers in Government are made aware of the issues surrounding pancreatic cancer. From inequalities in funding, care and survival to access to treatments and the lack of public awareness of the disease, we highlight this wherever we can.
We are also thrilled that Ali Stunt, our founder, sits on the board of directors for Pancreatic Cancer Europe, which brings together pancreatic cancer experts from all over Europe to improve diagnosis and care for patients.
We fund research into the early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer
The amount of research funding for pancreatic cancer is minuscule compared to other common cancers (currently 3%) and the proportion spent on early diagnosis is small.
We fund research specifically to improve early diagnosis and nothing else because we know that early diagnosis saves lives.
We do this through our:
- Early Diagnosis Challenge Award
- GP audit researching the link between pancreatic cancer and new-onset type 2 diabetes as a potential early indicator of the disease
- Partnership with other research funders
We provide free patient information for those diagnosed and living with pancreatic cancer
We want patients and carers to have credible, evidence-based information on the disease and its treatments. That is why we provide free, comprehensive information in a variety of formats.
We provide:
- Health information booklets for all stages of pancreatic cancer
- PCA website and e-books
- PCA Action Magazine