Avner Pancreatic Cancer Foundation: Disease projected to be third biggest cancer killer
A northern beaches widow who lost her husband to pancreatic cancer has issued a warning following stark projections that the disease will kill more people than breast and prostate cancer this year.
Manly
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Pancreatic cancer is set to become Australia’s third biggest cancer killer this year, a northern beaches-based charity is warning.
It follows the release of a report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare confirming pancreatic cancer is now projected to claim more lives than breast cancer and prostate cancer in 2020.
Each year nearly 4000 people in Australia will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Approximately 80 per cent of patients diagnosed will die within 12 months and the disease has the lowest survival rates of all main cancers.
Widow Caroline Kelly, from Manly, who set up the Avner Pancreatic Cancer Foundation with her late husband when he was first diagnosed with the disease, said the projections show that “pancreatic cancer is the cancer of our generation”.
While survival rates over five years have improved from 5.2 per cent in 2007 to 10.7 per cent, they are still poor compared to other cancers.
However, she said pancreatic cancer specialists are leading the way in Sydney’s north, with Royal North Shore Hospital’s survival rates significantly higher than the national average at 14 per cent.
Ms Kelly said nevertheless said more had to be done for pancreatic cancer sufferers.
“Increases in survival are due to many clinicians, researchers and charities working together.
The Avner Pancreatic Cancer Foundation and our supporters have worked tirelessly for 11 years, raising awareness and funds to channel into pancreatic cancer research, investing over $7.6 million across 28 research projects at Australia’s top research institutions,” she said.
Ms Kelly said more had to be done to give patients the same chances of survival as other cancer sufferers and research was the only way.
Michelle Stewart, CEO of Avner Pancreatic Cancer Foundation, said pancreatic cancer is a devastating disease because it is difficult to diagnose, difficult to treat, and with very few early warning signs.
“Investment in research is the only way that we will see an improvement in outcomes for people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer,” she said.
The Manly Daily reported this week how charities had suffered a huge loss in revenue during COVID-19.
The pandemic has cost the charity at least $200,000 in lost revenue. A charity walk in Manly is still planned for August and organisers are hoping it will still be able to go ahead.
To donate go to Avner Pancreatic Cancer Foundation.