NO cancer diagnosis is good news, but some cancers are sadly more deadly and more brutal than others \u2014 pancreatic cancer being one of them.<\/p>\n
An estimated 600 people in Ireland are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year.<\/p>\n
The five-year survival has increased slowly over the past decades, but remains very low at 14%, according to Breakthrough Cancer Research.<\/p>\n
But a potential vaccine is now offering new hope to pancreatic cancer patients, as well as bowel cancer patients. Findings published in the journal Nature Medicine, have revealed that in an early trial featuring pancreatic and bowel cancer patients, the groundbreaking new jab appears capable of slowing progression of the disease and boosting survival chances.<\/p>\n
The vaccine works by harnessing the body\u2019s own immune system to target specific cells, called KRAS-mutant cancer cells, and the pancreatic cancer patients in the study, on average, survived around two years and five months after receiving the vaccine.<\/p>\n
Study lead Dr Zev Wainberg, from the University of California, Los Angeles, in the US, told the PA news agency: \u201cPancreas cancer [patients] even after all standard treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation, still have very high risks of the cancer coming back.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur results show that, in the group of patients who had profound immune responses, we achieved longer survival than we had expected in this cancer, quite a remarkable finding to occur in a phase 1 trial.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of the major issues with pancreatic cancer is that symptoms can be \u201cvague\u201d and \u201cmasquerade as other less threatening illnesses\u201d like irritable bowel syndrome and gallstones, \u201cso a lot of people will not tend to worry about them or present to the GP with them until it\u2019s too late,\u201d explains Heather Archbold, health information and research manager at Pancreatic Cancer Action.<\/p>\n
\u201cTime is of the essence with pancreatic cancer,\u201d she continues. \u201cWe encourage everyone to trust their instincts and see a healthcare professional if they notice unusual symptoms, no matter how small they may seem. Early diagnosis saves lives.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n Signs and symptoms\n <\/p>\n
These are the early symptoms to be aware of. \u201cIt is worth noting these symptoms may appear as a combination and not independently,\u201d says Archbold.<\/p>\n
\n Abdominal or back pain\n <\/p>\n
Don\u2019t automatically assume you\u2019ve slipped a disc or pulled a muscle. Abdominal (the tummy area) or back pain could be a warning sign, \u201cparticularly if it\u2019s a mild discomfort and worsens over time, or it can be eased by leaning forward,\u201d says Archbold. The back pain usually occurs \u201cwhere a woman\u2019s bra strap would sit.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the stomach and back pain that tends to drive patients to A&E,\u201d she adds. Back pain tends to occur when \u201cthe tumour will have spread beyond the pancreas and will be pressing against the spine\u201d.<\/p>\n
\n Unexplained weight loss\n <\/p>\n
As with many cancers, \u201cweight loss without trying\u201d is a red flag for pancreatic cancer. So if your jeans are suddenly much looser without your diet changing, speak to your GP.<\/p>\n
\n Jaundice\n <\/p>\n
\u201cJaundice is the yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes,\u201d explains Archbold. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t present the same in people with darker skin. That\u2019s why we always ask people to look at the whites of their eyes.\u201d<\/p>\n
She adds that \u201cjaundice can cause intense itching\u201d on the body.<\/p>\n
\n Changes to urine and stools\n <\/p>\n
Things to look out for are \u201cstools that won\u2019t flush\u201d as well as \u201cdarker urine\u201d, but any noticeable changes that are out of the ordinary for you are worth seeing a GP about, including pale, greasy-looking stools.<\/p>\n
\n New onset diabetes\n <\/p>\n
Early signs of diabetes include peeing more frequently, especially at night, being very thirsty, feeling more tired than usual, losing weight without trying, genital itching or thrush, cuts and wounds taking longer to heal, blurred eyesight and increased hunger \u2013 some of which overlap with the other early signs of pancreatic cancer.<\/p>\n
\n Persistent or a sudden drop in energy\n <\/p>\n
This isn\u2019t being exhausted for a couple of days after a busy week or a bad night\u2019s sleep, but \u201cpersistent fatigue, no matter how much sleep you are getting,\u201d says Archbold.<\/p>\n
\n Indigestion\n <\/p>\n
You might just need some over-the-counter medicine, but if indigestion doesn\u2019t seem to respond to the usual meds, see your GP.<\/p>\n