Pancreatic cancer is the 11th most common cancer in the UK. However, the mortality rate remains the highest among all cancers, due to diagnosis at late stages. As a result, less than 20% of patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer are suitable for surgery with curable intent, and only 16% of patients are likely to live longer than a year after diagnosis.
The survival rate is much higher when the cancer is found at an earlier stage. However, there is no national screening programme or reliable tests for pancreatic cancer. Most symptoms reported to be associated with pancreatic cancer are vague and non-specific, which increases the difficulty of general practitioners (GPs) recognising early signs of pancreatic cancer in the community.
To address this research gap, the ADEPTS study was set up, using linked data from GP records, hospital records, ONS mortality data, and cancer registry data from the QResearch database, with the aim to better understand the symptom profile of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (PNEN, a rarer type of pancreatic cancer). The ADEPTS study is run by researchers from the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences.
The full story is available on the Cancer Research UK Oxford Centre website