Comments on: Announcing our five-year strategy http://scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org/2008/11/28/our-five-year-strategy/ The latest news, views and opinions from Cancer Research UK Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:36:59 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: S.Muttiah http://scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org/2008/11/28/our-five-year-strategy/#comment-4813 S.Muttiah Thu, 03 Sep 2009 09:43:50 +0000 http://scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org/?p=858#comment-4813 I lost my wife (age 72) recently to pancreatic cancer with metastasis in the liver. She first complained of "tiredness" to the GP about a year ago. She was told to rest more and reduce weight which she did.A suspected prolonged chest infection 6 months later led quite accidentally to the prognosis of pancreatic cancer based on an MRI of the abdomen. It was too late. Both standard chemo and a clinical trial with a drug for 3 weeks did not save her. Just as with breast and cervical cancer, and given the dreadful and fast acting nature of pancreatic cancer, there is an urgent need to introduc routine screening for those over 60 to try and detect the illness early. Early stages are operable we were told by doctors but late stages are beyond help. There is also a dire need to step up research efforts to find a "cure" which alone can find a ray of hope out of the present dark tunnel for this dreadful cancer. Present efforts seem all too meagre. I lost my wife (age 72) recently to pancreatic cancer with metastasis in the liver. She first complained of “tiredness” to the GP about a year ago. She was told to rest more and reduce weight which she did.A suspected prolonged chest infection 6 months later led quite accidentally to the prognosis of pancreatic cancer based on an MRI of the abdomen.

It was too late. Both standard chemo and a clinical trial with a drug for 3 weeks did not save her.

Just as with breast and cervical cancer, and given the dreadful and fast acting nature of pancreatic cancer, there is an urgent need to introduc routine screening for those over 60 to try and detect the illness early. Early stages are operable we were told by doctors but late stages are beyond help.

There is also a dire need to step up research efforts to find a “cure” which alone can find a ray of hope out of the present dark tunnel for this dreadful cancer. Present efforts seem all too meagre.

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