Pancreatic Cancer: striving for early, fast and accurate diagnosis

Summary

Alfie Bailey-Bearfield is Head of Campaigns, Health Improvement, and Policy at Pancreatic Cancer UK. In this blog, Alfie explains the challenges associated with diagnosing pancreatic cancer, why fast and accurate diagnosis is so important, and why increased funding is vital to improving outcomes for patients.  

This blog has been published as part of a series for World Patient Safety Day 2024 and the theme of Improving diagnosis for patient safety. #WPSD24, World Patient Safety Day 2024, WPSD 2024.

Content

Working on pancreatic cancer, I’ve witnessed its devastating impact, especially given the rapid progression. It’s shocking that over 80% of cases aren’t diagnosed until stages 3 or 4, when treatment is often no longer possible.

Despite this, our work shows that much can be done to improve outcomes and give people a better chance of survival.

The current situation for people with pancreatic cancer 

Pancreatic cancer is the deadliest common cancer, with more than half of people dying within three months of diagnosis. In contrast to many other cancers, people’s chances of surviving this disease haven’t improved in decades.

One of the key reasons for this is that symptoms are so vague, which means that it often goes undetected until the cancer has progressed significantly. Without simple tests, GPs struggle to detect it early, leading to repeated appointments before referral. Even then, limited NHS capacity and uncoordinated investigations cause further delays.

It’s all too common for people to experience prolonged delays to receiving a diagnosis and many are diagnosed in A&E. At this point, people are at a late stage and are usually too ill to receive any treatment.

We are working closely with governments across the UK and the clinical community to start to change the narrative and transform outcomes for people with pancreatic cancer.

Why prompt diagnosis is so important

Getting an early, fast and accurate diagnosis is vital in giving people with pancreatic cancer the best possible chance at survival and a good quality of life. The sooner a person is diagnosed, the more likely they are to be eligible for treatment that can either be lifesaving or give them invaluable time with loved ones.

Surgery, the only potentially curative treatment for the disease, is only possible when diagnosed at an early stage. Other palliative treatments are hard to tolerate, with patients often already too unwell to receive them by the time of diagnosis. As it stands, 7 in 10 people with pancreatic cancer receive no active treatment.

Pancreatic cancer is also a disease that progresses rapidly; therefore, it is essential that people are diagnosed quickly once suspected. For this cancer, any extra days of waiting for scans or results can have an impact on whether a patient will be eligible for curative surgery or well enough to tolerate treatment. Having a fast and coordinated diagnosis also means patients can receive early care, which can help people tolerate treatment and have a better quality of life.

Investment is key to improving outcomes 

Addressing the challenges of diagnosing pancreatic cancer requires the government, clinical and research communities, as well as the third sector to take coordinated action.

We’re calling on the UK Government to lead the way by increasing investment in research to develop simple tests for early diagnosis. As a charity, we’re contributing by funding research like Professor George Hanna’s breath test at Imperial College, which could accelerate early detection.

Additionally, the UK Government and NHS must implement programs for identifying those at higher risk, such as individuals with a family history or recent onset of diabetes. Investment is also needed to roll out faster diagnostic pathways across the NHS. We will continue collaborating with the clinical community and NHS to develop initiatives that improve early and timely diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

Final thoughts

Over four decades, pancreatic cancer has seen little national investment. However, new initiatives now aim to improve diagnosis, treatment, and care. It’s crucial to build on this momentum to transform outcomes for patients.

NHS England recently introduced the hepato-pancreatic biliary (HPB) Best Practice Pathway (BPTP) to expedite pancreatic cancer diagnosis within 21 days. We and patient representatives helped shape this pathway. To ensure its success, the government and NHS England must now fund Cancer Alliances in England to ensure it can be fully implemented.

In 2021, we launched the Optimal Care Pathway (OCP) initiative, uniting professionals and patients to address key challenges in pancreatic cancer care. The OCP report outlines a roadmap for equitable and effective standards in diagnosis, treatment, and care. We’re now advocating for government action to make these standards a reality across the healthcare system.

Share your insights

Do you have insights to share around diagnostic safety? Have you been affected by a late diagnosis? Or perhaps you have insights to share on diagnostic safety through the work that you do. If you would like to write a blog or share your thoughts, experiences or resources through the hub please get in touch with our team at [email protected] or add your comments to our community forum page. 

About the Author

Alfie Bailey-Bearfield is Head of Campaigns, Health Improvement, and Policy at Pancreatic Cancer UK. His background spans dementia, autism, and cancer policy in both charities and government.