GP surgeries across England will begin reviewing patient records to identify those most at risk of pancreatic cancer in a new scheme. The cancer is one of the most lethal in the UK, with a five-year survival rate of only seven percent. Over 300 GP practices will pilot using IT systems to search patient records for individuals over 60 who may be experiencing early warning signs of pancreatic cancer such as a recent diabetes diagnosis and sudden, unexplained weight loss. Eligible patients will be contacted and offered blood tests and CT scans to then rule out cancer or give a diagnosis.
- NHS England first to offer ‘trojan horse’ therapy to fight blood cancer
- Thousands access NHS programme to cut risk of Type 2 diabetes
- Government on a ‘mission to drive down waiting times’ as 80,000 receive faster cancer diagnosis
‘Pancreatic cancer is responsible for so many deaths because patients don’t usually notice symptoms until the cancer is at an advanced stage, which is why we need to find new ways to pick it up,’ said Professor Peter Johnson, NHS National Clinical Director for Cancer. ‘Early diagnosis is critical to improving outcomes, so if your GP practice identifies you as at risk, I urge you to come forward for testing as soon as possible.’
Nearly £2 million in funding was allocated to support participating practices to reach out to patients. The scheme aims to evaluate whether routine record searches can lead to earlier detection and better outcomes for patients. The programme builds on previous efforts by NHS England to improve early cancer detection, including a partnership with Pancreatic Cancer UK to launch the Family History Checker tool to help identify individuals with a genetic risk of pancreatic cancer. In April alone, over 200,000 people were diagnosed or given the all-clear for cancer within 28 days of referral, which is an increase of more than 11,000 from the same time last year.
‘Diagnosing more people with pancreatic cancer earlier, when the disease is most treatable, would make the single biggest difference to improving survival,’ said Alfie Bailey-Bearfield, Head of Influencing & Health Improvement at Pancreatic Cancer UK. ‘We’re proud to have helped shape this case-finding pilot, which will support GPs to proactively identify people at increased risk – specifically those over 60, with new-onset diabetes and unexpected weight loss. While most people referred won’t have pancreatic cancer, for those who do, this initiative could be lifesaving.’