Let’s talk about pancreatic cancer

It's Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Day and we wanted to take a moment to highlight some of the stats and symptoms in case they’re helpful to anyone reading. We are not doctors, and all of this information is in the public domain, but if we hope that in sharing it, it could help someone to get a diagnosis a little earlier.

Pancreatic cancer statistics

Pancreatic cancer is the 10th most common cancer and is amongst the most deadly, according to the Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund. One of the reasons for this is that it can be very hard to diagnose due to its location. Cancer Research UK estimates that there are around 10,400 new cases of pancreatic cancer each year in the UK, and that it accounts for 3% of all new cancer cases.

Pancreatic cancer symptoms

The NHS lists the most common symptoms of pancreatic cancer as follows. They are quite nebulous, and as always if you are concerned that something doesn't feel right it's always best to speak to your GP just in case:

• Whites of your eyes or your skin turn yellow
• Itchy skin
• Darker pee
• Diarrhoea, constipation, paler poo
• Loss of appetite or losing weight without trying to
• Feeling tired or having no energy
• High temperature, or feeling hot or shivery
• Feeling or being sick
• Pain at the top part of your tummy and your back
• Symptoms of indigestion

Typical treatments for Pancreatic cancer

The treatment you may receive for different types of Pancreatic cancer depends on the stage and type of cancer that you have. However, it usually involves either one or a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Spa treatments and your cancer journey

All cancer treatments have their side effects that doctors will be able to offer advice on.

From our perspective, spas are certainly not going to fix all problems, but with properly trained spa therapists and the right products, they can help to ease some side effects of cancer treatments and to provide support on your cancer journey.

For example, the right type of massage has been shown to help ease pain, improve mood and help with sleeplessness. Meanwhile, products from brands like Jennifer Young help to ease some of the skincare side effects of cancer treatment.

If you would like to find out more about spas where therapists are trained to provide the best support on your cancer journey, you can follow the link to our Safe Hands for Cancer experiences, or read more articles on this blog.