Latest news with #PeterJohnson
The Independent
4 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
People at high risk of pancreatic cancer to be tested by NHS before symptoms show
Urgent pancreatic cancer tests will be offered on the NHS for those who are most at risk. GPs taking part in the NHS pilot will reach out to patients who have the key early warning signs of pancreatic cancer and send them for urgent tests to rule out the illness. People over the age of 60 with key symptoms, such as recently being diagnosed with diabetes or who experience sudden weight loss, could be contacted for urgent blood tests and CT scans. Even patients whose weight is not recorded may be contacted, as a doctor may wish to check for new-onset diabetes or sudden weight loss. New digital health technology will be used to detect pancreatic cancer earlier and help use GP records more effectively to identify people through body weight and blood glucose control measurements. Pancreatic cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer deaths in the UK, with 10,000 people diagnosed a year - 10 per cent of cases are inherited, and more than half of people die within three months of diagnosis. Around half of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer have also had a recent diabetes diagnosis. Professor Peter Johnson, NHS national clinical director for cancer, urged the need to find new ways of picking up the symptoms as the cancer is 'responsible for so many deaths because patients don't usually notice symptoms until the cancer is at an advanced stage.' 'Through initiatives like this and the upcoming 10 Year Health Plan, the NHS is determined to go a step further – not just treat people at an advanced stage but to go out into communities and seek people out who might be unwell without any symptoms so we can provide people with the most effective treatment. 'The NHS is seeing and treating more people with cancer than ever, and early diagnosis is key to ensure patients have the best chance of receiving effective treatment. 'If your GP practice identifies you as at risk of pancreatic cancer, I urge you to come forward for testing as soon as possible.' More than 300 GP practices across England will begin to use the initiative now, which has received almost £2m in targeted funding, while the rest will have the pilot up and running in the autumn. The scheme will test whether dedicated routine searches of patient records can lead to earlier diagnosis of the disease and better outcomes. Local practices will carry out searches of patient records as part of a three-year pilot using their GP IT systems to identify patients who have the symptoms. The initiative comes after NHS England partnered with Pancreatic Cancer UK last year to launch a first-of-its-kind tool, the Family History Checker, to help identify people with an inherited risk of the disease and refer them for regular monitoring – giving them the very best chance of being diagnosed early. Health minister Karin Smyth welcomed the initiative as someone who has personally faced cancer. 'I know all too well the fear that comes with a diagnosis and the precious value of catching it early,' she said. 'This targeted approach to identify people at risk of one of the most lethal cancers could give more people a fighting chance and spare the heartbreak of countless families. 'Through our Plan for Change, we are utilising the latest technology and techniques to improve cancer outcomes and transform care to give more families hope in the face of this devastating disease.'
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Two red flag signs that could mean you have Britain's deadliest cancer
NHS launches pilot scheme for GPs to scour their medical records and contact patients who have two "red flag" signs of pancreatic cancer GPs will scour their medical records for patients who have two red flag signs that they may have pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer is the UK's tenth most common cancer but it has the lowest five-year survival rate of any common cancer. Most people with pancreatic cancer die within a year of diagnosis and only 7% survive five years or more. That is because symptoms are vague and most people are diagnosed only once the cancer is widespread. Now an NHS pilot in England will see 300 participating GP practices search their medical records of patients who are aged over 60. Doctors will contact patients if they have the two red flag signs - which are a recent diagnosis of diabetes and sudden weight loss. Professor Peter Johnson, NHS National Clinical Director for Cancer: '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. Through initiatives like this and the upcoming 10 Year Health Plan the NHS is determined to go a step further – not just treat people at an advanced stage but to go out into communities and seek people out who might be unwell without any symptoms so we can provide people with the most effective treatment. 'The NHS is seeing and treating more people with cancer than ever, and early diagnosis is key to ensure patients have the best chance of receiving effective treatment. If your GP practice identifies you as at risk of pancreatic cancer, I urge you to come forward for testing as soon as possible.' Around 10,500 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the UK each year and it kills around 10,000 people annually. Early Warning Signs Around half of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer have been diagnosed with diabetes recently. The NHS pilot will focus on this and a record of sudden recent weight loss in the over 60s age group who are at greater risk. Other possible symptoms of pancreatic cancer include: Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes) Abdominal or back pain Changes in bowel habits (pale or greasy stools, dark urine) Itchy skin Loss of appetite Nausea Fatigue Dr Agnieszka Lemanska, expert at the University of Surrey and Lead Evaluator for the pilot, said: 'Unexplained weight loss can be an early warning sign, especially in people with diabetes, but it is not always picked up. We are creating tools which will help us use GP records more effectively to identify people through simple body weight and blood glucose control measurements. "This could be key to spotting pancreatic cancer early. The success of this pilot relies on high quality and complete GP data, and with this scheme we are working to improve monitoring of body weight and blood glucose control.' The pancreas is a large gland that produces digestive juices and hormones. Surgical removal is the only potentially curative treatment but only a small percentage of patients are eligible because the organ is so hard to reach. GP teams already know the signs to look for, but this new scheme provides almost £2m in targeted funding to help practices reach out to those most at risk. Alfie Bailey-Bearfield, spokesman for Pancreatic Cancer UK, said: 'Diagnosing more people with pancreatic cancer earlier, when the disease is most treatable, would make the single biggest difference to improving survival, so we are delighted to see significant further investment from NHS England towards that incredibly important goal. 'We're proud to have been involved in shaping this new case finding pilot, which will support GPs to proactively find people with pancreatic cancer among one of largest groups known to be at increased risk: those aged over 60, with new onset diabetes who have recently lost weight without trying to do so. Many of the people who are referred for a CT scan during the pilot will not have pancreatic cancer, but for those that do, the impact could be lifesaving." Family doctors taking part in the new pilot will then contact patients and send them for urgent blood tests and CT scans to rule out cancer. If successful, it will be expanded nationwide. Health Minister Karin Smyth, herself a skin cancer survivor, said: "As someone who has faced cancer personally, I know all too well the fear that comes with a diagnosis and the precious value of catching it early. This targeted approach to identify people at risk of one of the most lethal cancers could give more people a fighting chance and spare the heartbreak of countless families. "Through our Plan for Change, we are utilising the latest technology and techniques to improve cancer outcomes and transform care to give more families hope in the face of this devastating disease."
South Wales Guardian
5 days ago
- Health
- South Wales Guardian
NHS launches new drive to find more people with deadly pancreatic cancer
Hundreds of GP practices in England are being given extra funding to comb patient records looking for people with the disease, which has the lowest survival rate of all cancers. GPs and their teams will look for people over 60 who may have signs of the cancer, such as a recent diagnosis of diabetes and sudden weight loss. Figure suggest that around half of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer have been diagnosed with type 1 or 2 diabetes recently. Family doctors taking part in the NHS England pilot will then contact patients and send them for urgent blood tests and CT scans to rule cancer in or out. Pancreatic cancer can have vague symptoms and is often diagnosed in the late stages. According to researchers, newly-diagnosed diabetes patients often have similar symptoms as a person with early-stage pancreatic cancer. This is because the cancer destroys the same insulin-producing cells that are also destroyed in diabetes. Around 10,500 people in the UK are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer every year and only around one in 20 survive the disease for 10 years or more. More than half of people die within three months of diagnosis. For the new three-year pilot, more than 300 GP practices in England will be involved, with all practices up and running by the autumn. Almost £2 million in targeted funding has been invested to help practices find people most at risk and give patients the best chance of being diagnosed early. Professor Peter Johnson, NHS national clinical director for cancer, said: '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. 'Through initiatives like this and the upcoming 10-year health plan, the NHS is determined to go a step further – not just treat people at an advanced stage but to go out into communities and seek people out who might be unwell without any symptoms so we can provide people with the most effective treatment. 'The NHS is seeing and treating more people with cancer than ever, and early diagnosis is key to ensure patients have the best chance of receiving effective treatment. 'If your GP practice identifies you as at risk of pancreatic cancer, I urge you to come forward for testing as soon as possible.' Health minister Karin Smyth said: 'This targeted approach to identify people at risk of one of the most lethal cancers could give more people a fighting chance and spare the heartbreak of countless families.' We're delighted to see the Government commit to boosting clinical trials as part of their forthcoming 10 year plan. Clinical trials are a crucial treatment option for people with #PancreaticCancer & improving access to them could be key to driving up treatment & survival rates 🧪 — Pancreatic Cancer UK (@PancreaticCanUK) June 16, 2025 Alfie Bailey-Bearfield, head of influencing and health improvement at Pancreatic Cancer UK, said: 'Diagnosing more people with pancreatic cancer earlier, when the disease is most treatable, would make the single biggest difference to improving survival, so we are delighted to see significant further investment from NHS England towards that incredibly important goal. 'We're proud to have been involved in shaping this new case finding pilot, which will support GPs to proactively find people with pancreatic cancer among one of largest groups known to be at increased risk: those aged over 60, with new onset diabetes who have recently lost weight without trying to do so. 'Many of the people who are referred for a CT scan during the pilot will not have pancreatic cancer, but for those that do, the impact could be lifesaving. 'Subject to the pilot's success, we will be calling for this pilot to be expanded across the country to help give more people affected by the deadliest common cancer the very best chance of survival.' Previous research has shown that people over 50 with a new case of type 2 diabetes have a higher chance of being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer within three years.
North Wales Chronicle
5 days ago
- Health
- North Wales Chronicle
NHS launches new drive to find more people with deadly pancreatic cancer
Hundreds of GP practices in England are being given extra funding to comb patient records looking for people with the disease, which has the lowest survival rate of all cancers. GPs and their teams will look for people over 60 who may have signs of the cancer, such as a recent diagnosis of diabetes and sudden weight loss. Figure suggest that around half of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer have been diagnosed with type 1 or 2 diabetes recently. Family doctors taking part in the NHS England pilot will then contact patients and send them for urgent blood tests and CT scans to rule cancer in or out. Pancreatic cancer can have vague symptoms and is often diagnosed in the late stages. According to researchers, newly-diagnosed diabetes patients often have similar symptoms as a person with early-stage pancreatic cancer. This is because the cancer destroys the same insulin-producing cells that are also destroyed in diabetes. Around 10,500 people in the UK are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer every year and only around one in 20 survive the disease for 10 years or more. More than half of people die within three months of diagnosis. For the new three-year pilot, more than 300 GP practices in England will be involved, with all practices up and running by the autumn. Almost £2 million in targeted funding has been invested to help practices find people most at risk and give patients the best chance of being diagnosed early. Professor Peter Johnson, NHS national clinical director for cancer, said: '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. 'Through initiatives like this and the upcoming 10-year health plan, the NHS is determined to go a step further – not just treat people at an advanced stage but to go out into communities and seek people out who might be unwell without any symptoms so we can provide people with the most effective treatment. 'The NHS is seeing and treating more people with cancer than ever, and early diagnosis is key to ensure patients have the best chance of receiving effective treatment. 'If your GP practice identifies you as at risk of pancreatic cancer, I urge you to come forward for testing as soon as possible.' Health minister Karin Smyth said: 'This targeted approach to identify people at risk of one of the most lethal cancers could give more people a fighting chance and spare the heartbreak of countless families.' We're delighted to see the Government commit to boosting clinical trials as part of their forthcoming 10 year plan. Clinical trials are a crucial treatment option for people with #PancreaticCancer & improving access to them could be key to driving up treatment & survival rates 🧪 — Pancreatic Cancer UK (@PancreaticCanUK) June 16, 2025 Alfie Bailey-Bearfield, head of influencing and health improvement at Pancreatic Cancer UK, said: 'Diagnosing more people with pancreatic cancer earlier, when the disease is most treatable, would make the single biggest difference to improving survival, so we are delighted to see significant further investment from NHS England towards that incredibly important goal. 'We're proud to have been involved in shaping this new case finding pilot, which will support GPs to proactively find people with pancreatic cancer among one of largest groups known to be at increased risk: those aged over 60, with new onset diabetes who have recently lost weight without trying to do so. 'Many of the people who are referred for a CT scan during the pilot will not have pancreatic cancer, but for those that do, the impact could be lifesaving. 'Subject to the pilot's success, we will be calling for this pilot to be expanded across the country to help give more people affected by the deadliest common cancer the very best chance of survival.' Previous research has shown that people over 50 with a new case of type 2 diabetes have a higher chance of being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer within three years.
Leader Live
5 days ago
- Health
- Leader Live
NHS launches new drive to find more people with deadly pancreatic cancer
Hundreds of GP practices in England are being given extra funding to comb patient records looking for people with the disease, which has the lowest survival rate of all cancers. GPs and their teams will look for people over 60 who may have signs of the cancer, such as a recent diagnosis of diabetes and sudden weight loss. Figure suggest that around half of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer have been diagnosed with type 1 or 2 diabetes recently. Family doctors taking part in the NHS England pilot will then contact patients and send them for urgent blood tests and CT scans to rule cancer in or out. Pancreatic cancer can have vague symptoms and is often diagnosed in the late stages. According to researchers, newly-diagnosed diabetes patients often have similar symptoms as a person with early-stage pancreatic cancer. This is because the cancer destroys the same insulin-producing cells that are also destroyed in diabetes. Around 10,500 people in the UK are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer every year and only around one in 20 survive the disease for 10 years or more. More than half of people die within three months of diagnosis. For the new three-year pilot, more than 300 GP practices in England will be involved, with all practices up and running by the autumn. Almost £2 million in targeted funding has been invested to help practices find people most at risk and give patients the best chance of being diagnosed early. Professor Peter Johnson, NHS national clinical director for cancer, said: '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. 'Through initiatives like this and the upcoming 10-year health plan, the NHS is determined to go a step further – not just treat people at an advanced stage but to go out into communities and seek people out who might be unwell without any symptoms so we can provide people with the most effective treatment. 'The NHS is seeing and treating more people with cancer than ever, and early diagnosis is key to ensure patients have the best chance of receiving effective treatment. 'If your GP practice identifies you as at risk of pancreatic cancer, I urge you to come forward for testing as soon as possible.' Health minister Karin Smyth said: 'This targeted approach to identify people at risk of one of the most lethal cancers could give more people a fighting chance and spare the heartbreak of countless families.' We're delighted to see the Government commit to boosting clinical trials as part of their forthcoming 10 year plan. Clinical trials are a crucial treatment option for people with #PancreaticCancer & improving access to them could be key to driving up treatment & survival rates 🧪 — Pancreatic Cancer UK (@PancreaticCanUK) June 16, 2025 Alfie Bailey-Bearfield, head of influencing and health improvement at Pancreatic Cancer UK, said: 'Diagnosing more people with pancreatic cancer earlier, when the disease is most treatable, would make the single biggest difference to improving survival, so we are delighted to see significant further investment from NHS England towards that incredibly important goal. 'We're proud to have been involved in shaping this new case finding pilot, which will support GPs to proactively find people with pancreatic cancer among one of largest groups known to be at increased risk: those aged over 60, with new onset diabetes who have recently lost weight without trying to do so. 'Many of the people who are referred for a CT scan during the pilot will not have pancreatic cancer, but for those that do, the impact could be lifesaving. 'Subject to the pilot's success, we will be calling for this pilot to be expanded across the country to help give more people affected by the deadliest common cancer the very best chance of survival.' Previous research has shown that people over 50 with a new case of type 2 diabetes have a higher chance of being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer within three years.
