05/06/2026
Pancreatic cancer is only the 9th most common cancer in the UK, and yet it is the 5th leading cause of cancer death. Sadly this aggressive disease has very low survival rates, and continues to be one of the most difficult types of cancer to diagnose and treat. That’s why we’ve funded over £4 million since 1993 into pancreatic cancer research around the world, kickstarting bold research towards a brighter future for patients.
👉 What is it?
The pancreas is an organ that sits just behind your stomach. It plays two important roles in your body: producing hormones like insulin, and producing enzymes that help with digestion.
👉 What are the early signs?
Early symptoms are often vague and easy to miss. They can include indigestion-like symptoms, abdominal or back pain, unexplained weight loss, nausea, or changes in digestion. Because these signs are not specific, pancreatic cancer is often diagnosed late.
👉 How is it treated?
Treatment can include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or targeted therapies. However, because it is often diagnosed at a later stage, outcomes remain challenging, especially once the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
👉 How are our researchers making the future brighter?
Research provides real hope for better ways to understand and treat pancreatic cancer. We are excited to that Dr Patricia Sancho and her team in Spain have discovered how pancreatic cancer adapts to grow and spread. Even more promising, they have identified a potential drug that could reverse this process and stop the cancer from spreading. 💡
It is still early stage research, but breakthroughs like this are helping us move closer to better outcomes for people affected by pancreatic cancer, and giving real hope for the future 💛
