Cases of bowel and pancreatic cancer soar, experts warn – the signs you need to know

CASES of bowel and pancreatic cancer have soared in the last 30 years, a new global study has revealed.

The major research, published today in The Lancet, found that pancreatic cancer patients were more likely to survive the disease in 1990 than in 2019.

As well as a 130 per cent increase in cases, they found that pancreatic cancer is killing more people - with deaths rising from 196,000 to 448,000 over the 27-year study period.

Cases of bowel cancer increased 9.5 per cent globally in the same timeframe, yet the number of people dying from the disease went down by 13.5 per cent.

Researchers believe this is due to the introduction of bowel cancer screening programmes, which lead to earlier detection and an increased chance of survival.

The Global Burden of Disease study is the first to provide comprehensive worldwide estimates of the burden, epidemiological features and risk factors of a number of digestive diseases.

Professor Herbert Tilg, chair of the United European Gastroenterology Scientific Committee, said: “This analysis provides the most comprehensive picture of the global burden of digestive disease to date.

"Examining these cross-populational trends offers vital information on the changing burden of disease and aids the correct allocation of resources to improve patient outcomes.”

Risk factors

Experts believe the increase in pancreatic cancer is related to a rise in the prevalence of obesity and diabetes, as reflected by the risk factors of high BMI and higher blood glucose levels which are two of the leading risk factors for pancreatic cancer.

Professor Reza Malekzadeh, lead author of the study, said: “Pancreatic cancer is one of the world’s deadliest cancers, with an overall five-year survival rate of just five per cent in high, middle and low-income countries.

"Major risk factors for the disease, such as smoking, diabetes and obesity, are largely modifiable and present a huge opportunity for prevention.”

Major risk factors for the disease, such as smoking, diabetes and obesity, are largely modifiable and present a huge opportunity for prevention

Professor Reza Malekzadehlead author

The study also indicated that the risk factors for bowel cancer are different in males and females, and should therefore be considered in national policy and prevention programmes.

Alcohol use, smoking and diets low in calcium, milk and fibre had a considerable burden on men.

Whereas for women, it's dietary risks - not alcohol use or smoking - that were found to be the most attributable risks.

Know the signs

Knowing the early warning signs could help prevent people needlessly dying from cancer - including bowel and pancreatic cancers.

In England and Wales, everyone over the age of 60 is currently invited to have bowel cancer screening tests every two years.

However, in Scotland screening starts at 50, which is why The Sun launched the No Time 2 Lose campaign - to call on the Government to end the postcode lottery.

Bowel cancer is the second deadliest cancer in the UK. Around 42,000 Brits are diagnosed, and 16,000 lose their lives to the disease every year.

More than nine in ten new cases are in people over the age of 50, but more than 2,500 younger people are diagnosed each year.

However, bowel cancer can be cured if it's caught early enough, which is why screening is so important.

Pancreatic cancer symptoms

When it comes to pancreatic cancer though, the signs can be harder to spot- especially in the early stages - making it harder to diagnose.

Around half of all new cases are in people aged over 75 and it's pretty uncommon in people under 40.

The symptoms can be quite vague and may come and go to begin with.

They also depend on where the cancer is in the pancreas, but the first noticeable signs often include:

• Pain in the back or stomach - often worse when lying down or after eating
• Unexpected weight loss
• Indigestion

Other symptoms may include:

• Feeling sick or being sick
• Yellowing of the skin and whites of eyes (jaundice)
• Loss of appetite
• Changes in bowel movements
• Fever and shivering
• Blood clots
• Recently diagnosed diabetes

If you have jaundice, go to your GP or A&E immediately. If you have any of the other symptoms, you don’t know why you have them, and they last four weeks or more, go to your GP.

These symptoms don’t necessarily mean that you have pancreatic cancer, but you should get them checked out.

If your symptoms get worse or you develop any new symptoms suddenly, you should always see a doctor and if they don't improve go back until you get a firm diagnosis, or a referral for tests to find out what’s causing them.

Chris Macdonald, head of research at Pancreatic Cancer UK, said: “This study confirms what we already know about increasing incidence of pancreatic cancer and only makes the need to address its appallingly low survival statistics even more urgent.

"There has been very little improvement in survival the last 50 years and if this doesn’t change pancreatic cancer is predicted to overtake breast cancer as the fourth most common cancer killer by 2026.

"To stop this from happening we need more research investment to get the scientific breakthroughs in early diagnosis and more effective treatments.”