First-of-its kind test can predict if you’re at risk of the deadliest cancer – find out now
A FIRST-of-its kind test can check your risk of developing pancreatic cancer – considered one of the deadliest forms of the disease as it’s often diagnosed too late.
The online tool, dubbed the Family History Checker, will help to identify people with inherited risk of the disease.
It will then refer them for regular monitoring, which includes blood tests and scans – giving them the best chance of being diagnosed early.
Because pancreatic cancer is very difficult to diagnose at an early stage, it has a poor survival rate.
Legendary ex-England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson revealed he was suffering from terminal pancreatic cancer at the start of 2024 and passed away in August.
Someone may have inherited risk of the cancer if they or a family member have a genetic condition linked to pancreatic cancer.
About one in 10 cases of the disease are thought to be caused by genes that increase a person’s risk of developing the cancer.
A person might also be at risk if they’ve been diagnosed with hereditary pancreatitis, or have more than one relative with pancreatic cancer on the same side of the family.
People using the checker – launched by the charity Pancreatic Cancer UK – will be asked three questions covering their family history of pancreatic cancer, other genetic conditions associated with the disease and pancreatitis.
These answers will help to identify who should be referred for further risk assessment through a study known as the European Registry of Hereditary Pancreatitis and Familial Pancreatic Cancer (Europac).
Rachel Smith, 42, saw two close family members diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and knows the fear of inheriting the disease all too well.
In 2017, her father, Michael, was diagnosed just before he turned 65.
He was at first told it was terminal.
But fortunately, a specialist from another hospital reviewed his case and he soon had a 12-hour surgery that saved his life.
Three years later, Rachel’s brother, Jim, was also diagnosed with pancreatic cancer – but his diagnosis turned out to be fatal.
Delays caused by the pandemic meant his cancer went from potentially operable to inoperable, and he died just eight months later.
After her brother’s death, Rachel enquired about genetic testing and was invited to receive an annual blood test and was provided with direct contact details for a specialist.
Sven-Goran Eriksson's battle with pancreatic cancer
Ex-England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson revealed he had been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer in January 2024.
He passed away at the age of 76 in August of the same year.
Speaking to a Swedish radio station at the time of his diagnosis, he had “at best a year” to live.
He told P1: “Everyone understands that I have an illness that is not good.
“Everyone guesses it’s cancer and it is. But I have to fight as long as I can.”
When asked about the prognosis, Eriksson said he has “maybe at best a year, at worst a little less, or at best maybe even longer”.
He added: “You can’t be absolutely sure. It is better not to think about it.
“But you can trick your brain. See the positive in things, don’t wallow in adversity, because this is the biggest adversity of course, but make something good out of it.”
Eriksson revealed how he sought medical help after he suddenly collapsed while going on a 5km run.
After consulting doctors, he was told he had suffered a stroke and had incurable pancreatic cancer.
Eriksson said: “They don’t know how long I had cancer, maybe a month or a year”.
Read more on his condition here.
She said: “Being invited for a yearly check-in is reassuring, and it’s good to know these programmes are in place for the next generation, for Jim’s children and mine.
“Jim was diagnosed at the age of 43 – if he had been on a surveillance programme, maybe the changes in his pancreas would have been noticed earlier.
“Getting those at most risk on to these programmes as early as possible will make a huge difference. There is simply nothing that can be done if it’s too late.”
‘Lives could be saved’
Diana Jupp, CEO of Pancreatic Cancer UK, said: “It is now vital that as many people as possible use the Family History Checker, so that everyone who should be referred for regular monitoring is found.
“The earlier pancreatic cancer is spotted, the more likely it is that people will be able to have lifesaving treatment. By reaching more people, lives could be saved.”
Some 10,500 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the UK each year, and research suggests one in 10 cases are inherited.
The cancer has the lowest survival rate of all common cancers, with more than half of people dying within three months of diagnosis.
According to Cancer Research UK, almost 30 per cent of adults in England with pancreatic cancer survive for one year or more after they are diagnosed.
Symptoms of pancreatic cancer
PANCREATIC cancer doesn't always cause symptoms in its early stages.
As the cancer grows and you do begin to show signs, these may come and go and be unspecific, making it hard to diagnose, according to Pancreatic Cancer UK.
Common symptoms include:
- Indigestion – a painful, burning feeling in your chest with an unpleasant taste in your mouth
- Tummy or back pain – it may start as general discomfort or tenderness in the tummy area and spread to the back, which get worse lying down and feel better is you sit forward
- Diarrhoea and constipation – see a GP if you have runny poos for more than seven days, especially if you’ve lost weight as well
- Steatorrhoea – pale, oily poo that’s bulky, smells horrible and floats, making it hard to flush
- Losing a lot of weight without meaning to
- Jaundice – yellow skin and eyes, as well as dark pee, pale poo and itchy skin
Meanwhile, almost 10 per cent survive their cancer for five years or more and only 5 per cent will survive their cancer for 10 years or more after diagnosis.
According to the charity Pancreatic Cancer UK, which created the checker, around 80 per cent of people with the disease are not being diagnosed until later stages – meaning curative treatment may no longer be possible.
The Europac team will review the cases referred by the checker and identify who should be invited to receive annual monitoring, which will ensure changes to the pancreas can be spotted earlier.
The vast majority of people taking the test won’t have an increased inherited risk and will be able to receive reassurance for the first time.
NHS England supported Pancreatic Cancer UK, investing £100,000 in The Family History Checker.