UK Pancreatic Cancer Statistics 2011 available from Pancreatic Cancer Action

Pancreatic Cancer Action now has the latest UK Pancreatic Cancer Statistics for 2011 available either online or to download (Pdf)(UK Pancreatic Cancer Statistics 2011). This year we include pancreatic cancer incidence and survival trends for the Republic of Ireland as well as England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Content includes incidence and mortality data plus one and five year survival rates, comparisons of one-year survival against other European countries and between Cancer Networks in England. We include five-year survival comparisons between different cancers and a look at the funding inequalities facing pancreatic cancer versus other common cancers and some not-so-common cancers.

What does it tell you?

Overall, there has been an increase year on year of both incidence and mortality of pancreatic cancer in the UK between 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 respectively. Incidence stands at 8085 cases in 2008 and there were 8047 deaths in 2009. While incidence has been going up, the age-standardised incidence rate (rate per 100,000 people, standardised to the European population) has remained fairly constant at around 9.0.

Sadly, five-year survival rates have remained the same as they have been for over forty years – at around 3%. Although there has been an encouraging rise in one-year survival rates in both England and Scotland since the late 1990′s, the rise has been modest with figures still below 20 per cent. One-year survival rates in Wales and Northern Ireland have changed little and are still below 14 per cent. 

Unfortunately, the UK one-year survival rates for pancreatic cancer are some of the worst in Europe and there is a lot of variation in one-year survival between Cancer Networks in England with some networks having rates double that of others. Poor one-year survival rates are generally taken to be an indicator of more advanced disease at diagnosis which is reflected in the 47 per cent of cases presenting as emergencies.

Pancreatic cancer research continues to be severely underfunded and, despite it being the fifth leading cause of cancer death in the UK, pancreatic cancer still receives less than one per cent of overall research funding.

Ali Stunt, Founder & CEO of Pancreatic Cancer Action commented, "The little or no positive movement in the survival rates for pancreatic cancer is testament to the fact that this disease has languished in the 'too-hard-to-deal-with' category for far too long. Lack of publicity and decades of chronic underfunding has meant that pancreatic cancer is still diagnosed too late for the majority of patients." She added  "Our low one-year survival rates in comparison with those of other European countries are a reflection of later diagnosis of the disease in the UK. Just by being as good as the best in Europe, we have the potential to save many lives."

Click the link to access the UK Pancreatic Cancer Statistics online

Download a copy here: UK Pancreatic Cancer Statistics 2011