Tag: early diagnosis

Edinburgh TV presenter opens up on Cancer Diagnosis after noticing ‘Unusual Lump’

BE THE EARLY BIRD CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED

BBC Scotland Reporter, David Cowan, has opened up on his experience with mouth cancer after finding a lump in his neck led to his diagnosis and successful treatment.

After looking up his symptoms on the NHS website, the Edinburgh journalist booked a GP appointment, in a decision that meant his mouth cancer was detected early, giving him a 90% chance of successful treatment.

David says the treatment was tough, but by June 2018 he was given the all-clear. Seven years on, he’s living well, enjoying life with his family and their dog, and supporting Mouth Cancer Action Month to raise awareness as part of Scottish Government’s ‘Be The Early Bird’ campaign:

‘BE THE EARLY BIRD’ CASE STUDY – DAVID COWAN

David Cowan, 58, Edinburgh – “It’s far better to know whether you’ve got cancer or not, you need to not delay and get it checked out.”

In late 2017, TV reporter David Cowan, from Edinburgh, noticed a small, hard, painless lump in his neck just weeks after his 50th birthday. After checking the NHS website, he booked a GP appointment, a decision he now credits with saving his life.

“My awareness of mouth cancer was pretty much very, very superficial. I knew it existed. I knew the dentists checked when they examined you, to see if there were any warning signs there, but it never occurred to me that it would happen to me.

“I was also blissfully unaware that the human papillomavirus (HPV) is linked to mouth cancer in a significant number of cases. I knew very little about it and had no real understanding of the risks it can pose.

“A few weeks after my 50th birthday, I noticed a lump in my neck, it was about the size of a wine gum. It was hard, just underneath my jaw line, and it wasn’t sore, and it just appeared.

“I thought that’s strange. I didn’t do anything about it for a few days. I thought it would go away, then I decided to look up my symptoms on the NHS website, and the advice came up very clearly that if you’ve got a painless, hard lump in your neck that doesn’t go away, you should contact your GP practice.

“They immediately referred me to specialists.  My GP later told me she thought straight away that it could be cancer.

“I was sent to a NHS Lothian clinic in Edinburgh for tests and about a month later, another doctor felt the lump on my neck and said, ‘that’s cancer.’  

“Because it had been found early, I was told there was a 90% chance of the treatment being successful.

“The treatment process was hard, I lost two stones and was off work for five months, but of course it was worth it, because I’m still here.

“It’s not pleasant treatment if you have mouth cancer, and my consultant had warned me about that from the start.

“They explained what was going to happen, and I remember, during treatment, thinking, ‘they did warn me this would happen.’

“I had no real hesitation in getting my symptom checked out because the NHS website told me to do that, and I’m very glad I did. Thinking that you might have cancer is scary, but it’s far better to know than just sitting there in the dark and delaying getting symptoms checked out.”

“I felt like I was in the expert embrace of the NHS; my experience was extremely positive throughout the whole thing. People talk about fighting cancer, I felt the NHS fought my cancer for me, and I just went along for the ride.”

“I also had fantastic support from family, friends and work colleagues. They helped me approach the whole experience in a positive way, which the doctors told me was very important.”

“I got the all-clear in June 2018. It was a massive relief. Lots of great things have happened in the seven years since I had cancer that I might have been deprived of had I not got back to full health with the help of the NHS.”

“I now try to appreciate the smaller things in life more and just remember how fortunate I am to be here.

“Having cancer is a life-changing event, but now I’m living well and enjoying life with my family and our dog.”

David was asked to share his story and the benefits of early detection as part of the Be the Early Bird campaign and to raise awareness amidst Mouth Cancer Action Month in November.

“We do need to raise more awareness of mouth cancer. I was told my mouth cancer was relatively rare, but was becoming more common. I’m delighted to see that young boys, as well as girls, are now getting human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations in school to help prevent this happening to them.

“It doesn’t matter where the cancer is, if you get it detected early, you’ve got a better chance of successful treatment. The crucial thing about cancer is getting treated as early as you possibly can, and that means if people are worried about something, they have to seek help, no matter how scary it might be.

“I feel very lucky to be here. The message of the Be the Early Bird campaign this Mouth Cancer Action Month is, if you’re worried about something, no matter if you have reservations about going, please go and get it checked out.”

Go to getcheckedearly.org to find out more

Campaign to address barriers preventing Edinburgh residents getting cancer symptoms checked

People in Edinburgh concerned that they have cancer symptoms are being urged to seek information and support while they shop.

This comes as Tesco and Cancer Research UK are working together to raise awareness in Edinburgh of possible symptoms of cancer, break down barriers people may face to speaking to healthcare professionals, and help customers feel more confident when communicating with their doctor.

A new survey by the charity and YouGov shows that there are a number of barriers that make people in the region delay or put off having potential cancer symptoms checked*.

The top four in Scotland are :–

  • thinking it will be difficult to get an appointment 48%;
  • finding it difficult to get an appointment 41%;
  • thinking symptom was unlikely to be anything serious 43%; and
  • deciding that symptom(s) could be managed by themselves 42%.

To break down these barriers, Cancer Research UK has created a health campaign with Tesco, running until 30 November, to highlight the importance of early diagnosis of cancer, and support customers to seek help if they’ve noticed something unusual for them.

If someone notices something that is unusual for them, they can have an initial conversation with a pharmacist at the Edinburgh Superstore in a convenient, private setting, and receive guidance on taking the next steps and booking a GP appointment if needed.

Tesco pharmacists have received specialist training from Cancer Research UK to provide support on possible signs and symptoms of cancer.

Michelle Mitchell, Cancer Research UK’s chief executive, said: “Nearly one in two of us will be diagnosed with cancer in our lifetime. Spotting cancer early can make all the difference, so it’s incredibly important that people get the support they need when they notice something that’s not right for them.

“That’s why we’ve joined forces with Tesco, to make it easier for people to talk to a professional about any concerns, and ultimately, to help diagnose cancers earlier and save lives.”

Tom Lye, Tesco Health and Wellness Category Director, said: “We know how many barriers there can be in day-to-day life around getting health concerns checked out. Customers can quickly and easily see a pharmacist at one of our Tesco Pharmacies. 

“Informed by their specialist Cancer Research UK training, pharmacists can have a confidential conversation about any worrying symptoms which could support customers in getting an earlier cancer diagnosis.”

Data from Cancer Research UK highlights why spotting cancer early is so important. Bowel cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in the UK – but about 9 in 10 people in England will survive the disease for five years or more if they are diagnosed at the earliest stage, compared to around 1 in 10 at the latest stage.

Across England, just over half of cancer cases are diagnosed at an early stage (55.3%), but this varies by region due to a number of factors such as some areas having higher numbers of cases of cancer types that can be harder to spot early, like lung cancer.

Tesco pharmacists are available all year round, supporting anyone experiencing symptoms so that they can discuss what steps to take next.

Breast screening: Look out for your letter

Most women will have no sign of cancer, but breast screening can find cancers that are too small to see or feel.

That’s why it’s important you attend your appointment when invited.

For more information, visit:

http://nhsinform.scot/breastscreening

#BreastScreeningScot

“Exciting” drug study could detect unrecognised cancer symptoms earlier

An innovative new study, funded by Cancer Research UK, aims to identify patients with early signs of cancer through medications they are prescribed before they are diagnosed with the disease.

It’s hoped the project could help identify various cancers at an early stage when treatment is more likely to be effective.

A team of researchers including Professor Chris Cardwell, Professor Carmel Hughes, Dr Sarah Baxter, Dr David Wright and Dr Blánaid Hicks of Queen’s University Belfast with Professor Peter Murchie of the University of Aberdeen, will study extensive anonymised medical information to identify treatments given to people who are then diagnosed with cancer.

The research will be the first of its kind to study prescription information comprehensively in the UK. Similar studies have been carried out overseas and smaller studies conducted looking at fewer cancer types in the UK.

Previous studies have already shown increased use of pain and indigestion medication in women with ovarian cancer up to eight months before diagnosis and increases in haemorrhoid treatments in patients with colorectal cancer up to 15 months before diagnosis.

Professor Chris Cardwell, of Queen’s University Belfast, said: “Our study has the potential to identify previously unrecognised medications which are newly used in the period up to two years before cancer diagnosis.

“These changes in specific medications could act as an alert for doctors to consider earlier cancer investigation or point to unrecognised symptom patterns.

“Diagnosing cancer as early as possible is key to ensuring treatment is as effective as possible and give patients the best chance of recovery.”

The study, which will receive £76,462 from Cancer Research UK, will focus on eight cancers: multiple myeloma, pancreatic, stomach, ovarian, lung, renal, colorectal and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma – selected because these cancers are known to involve more GP consultations prior to diagnosis.

Currently, there are many symptoms and medical conditions known to be associated with cancer, but often symptoms can indicate a variety of conditions, not just cancer, making diagnosis harder.

Professor Peter Murchie, of the University of Aberdeen, said: “This is an exciting study which we hope will show how our increasingly sophisticated health records can be used for the maximum patient benefit.

“We know symptoms of cancer can develop slowly so changes in our prescription data could become a very important early warning signal to prompt busy GPs.”

Prescription data from the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL) Databank at Swansea University, which works with the NHS to provide crucial information for researchers while keeping data anonymous and protected, will be used.

This requires permission from the Databank’s Information Governance Review Panel which oversees the safe and responsible use of population health records.

Codes used in the NHS to indicate medication prescriptions are easier to analyse and track than symptoms, for example an increase in dose or stronger medication can be flagged more easily to medical colleagues than notes on a patient’s record saying a symptom is worsening.

Cancer Research UK Director of Research, Dr Catherine Elliott, said: “Innovative approaches to tackling cancer are crucial to improving outcomes for patients. We have already made great strides in turning many types of cancer into a treatable disease if diagnosed at an early stage, and studies like this aim to help doctors identify people at risk of cancer much earlier.

“Earlier diagnosis takes us further along the path towards a world where cancer diagnosis is the start of the road to recovery and a less fearful prospect for patients.”

Nearly one in two people born in the UK will get cancer in their lifetime.*

With around 10,300 people being diagnosed with cancer each year in Northern Ireland (385,000 across the UK) finding new ways to diagnose cancer earlier, is vital.**

David shares tragic family stories of pancreatic cancer

David Fitzpatrick is working with Pancreatic Cancer Action, a UK-based charity dedicated to improving survival rates through early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, to raise awareness of the disease’s devastating nature.

Recently, David raised an incredible £8,285 at his golf fundraiser on 23rd June from the grounds of the beautiful Cowglen Golf Club, with nearly 80 people participating in the annual event that included a raffle and auction.

The Fitzpatrick family have been supporting the charity since 2014 after David’s brother, Paul, sadly passed from pancreatic cancer. Paul was diagnosed just 15 months after David’s mum, Patricia, sadly died from the disease.

To date, they have raised over £40,000 in their memory.

David had this to say about their efforts and why they have worked tirelessly to raise funds and awareness: “Our family have lost two special people to this illness, both our beloved mum and brother who was a loving father and husband.

“Pancreatic cancer is the 5th biggest cancer killer. Pancreatic Cancer Action has worked tirelessly to raise awareness of the cancer across the UK, including making GPs and consultants more aware of the symptoms, which, if caught early enough, can increase the survival rate of people diagnosed with it.

“I only wish our family GP and doctors at The Southern General Hospital had more knowledge of it whilst treating my mum and brother, who was diagnosed 15 months after mum, who died within a month of being diagnosed.

“Our family, nephews, nieces, grandchildren, Paul’s daughters, our friends, Nitshill Bowling Club, and former players and coaches of Bellarmine Amateurs are truly inspiring in their assistance and encouragement to raise funds in memory of both mum and Paul.

“They have all helped raise awareness of pancreatic cancer and hopefully save the lives of others as well as help educate the people who regularly misdiagnose this disease.”

Pancreatic cancer is the 5th most common cause of cancer death in the UK, with over 10,000 people diagnosed each year. Early diagnosis is crucial for improving survival rates, yet under 8% of those diagnosed will survive for five years or more.

David lost his mum and brother far too early, and we strongly believe that they both could have been saved if their pancreatic cancer had been detected sooner.

Pancreatic Cancer Action is dedicated to raising awareness of the disease and funding research into early detection and treatment.

About pancreatic cancer 

  • Twenty-nine people are newly diagnosed with the disease each day. 
  • For those diagnosed in time for surgery, their chances of surviving beyond five years increases by up to 30%. Knowing the signs and symptoms means you can act on any concerns you might have, sooner. 
  • Over 50% of all patients are diagnosed as an emergency in A&E when it is more likely that the cancer has already spread to other parts of the body. 
  • Pancreatic cancer can affect any adult. It occurs equally in men and women. 
  • The disease receives only 3.1% of cancer research funding. 
  • Pancreatic cancer is the UK’s 5th biggest cancer killer and the 10th most common cancer. 
  • In most cases, it can develop unexpectedly with no family connections to the disease. 
  • The five-year survival rate is less than 8%. 
  • Twenty-six people die from pancreatic cancer each day. 
  • Only 10% of patients are diagnosed in time for life-saving surgery. 
  • Incidence rates are projected to rise by 6% in the UK by 2035 to 21 cases per 100,000 people.

To find out more about our work, visit our website at www.panact.org