Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month

Why your support is needed

Pancreatic cancer is the UK’s 5th leading cause of cancer death. With barely any improvements to pancreatic cancer survival rates in the last 50 years, it is clear that there can be no progress without change, and we need your help. 

Pancreatic cancer can affect anyone, but outcomes from the disease vary according to socioeconomic background, ethnicity and age. 

Over 10,500 people die of the disease annually across the UK, often within weeks of diagnosis.  

5-year survival is 7.3%, and UK survival lags behind other high-income countries. 

Public awareness levels across the UK are low:  52% of people know ‘almost nothing’ about the disease, and 76% can’t name a single symptom. 

While these stats paint a bleak picture of the disease,  pancreatic cancer can be survived with early diagnosis. 

For those diagnosed in time for potentially life-saving surgery, 5-year survival increases to around 30%. This presents an opportunity for intervention where people can be diagnosed earlier and live longer with a better quality of life.   

Back in 2011, the 5-year pancreatic cancer survival rate was just 3%. In 2021 that statistic had increased to nearly 7.3%. Proving awareness-raising with Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month works.

There is still much more that can be done- the need to improve pancreatic cancer diagnosis and outcomes is urgent.