We have the pleasure to introduce you to the newest ECPC member, the organisation Pancreatic Cancer Action (PCA).
Pancreatic Cancer Action is a UK registered charity with a focus on early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. They raise awareness among the general public and the medical community, provide medical education and training on pancreatic cancer as well as comprehensive information on pancreatic cancer in print and via their website. They also fund research, specifically into early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.
The Founder & Chief Executive, Alison Stunt, is herself a pancreatic cancer survivor. The idea of ECPC collaborating with Pancreatic Cancer Action came during the launch of the European Multi-Stakeholder Platform on Pancreatic Cancer on the 12th of November, in the European Parliament, when both organisations realised the common interest for pancreatic cancer.
With their experience and expertise, Pancreatic Cancer Action will take the lead in the future ECPC activities regarding Pancreatic cancer.
Find out more by visiting their website: https://pancreaticcanceraction.org/
Background note
The first meeting of the European Multi-Stakeholder Platform on Pancreatic Cancer (Brussels, 12 November 2014) identified 3 main objectives of this Platform:
– raise awareness
– diagnosis
– registries
During the meeting in Brussels Prof. de Lorenzo had called for an increased research on diagnosis and for the establishment of a risk-profile patient that would enable to build up screening programmes for patients over 45 who are obese and smokers. Ali Stunt had endorsed Francesco de Lorenzo’s call to improve screening. She also insisted on the urgent need to raise awareness on the disease itself, as according to a survey 50 % of patients had never heard of pancreatic cancer at the time of diagnosis and 77 % of people in the UK do not know where the pancreas is.
In order to address at its best the identified objectives, the Platform members will work in the future towards:
– creating registries across Europe with core common parameters that can be integrated by all countries;
– including pancreatic cancer in the Joint Research Center’s European Network of Cancer Registries;
– drafting a leaflet for patients on ‘’10 warning signs for Pancreatic Cancer’’;
– ensuring prioritization of pancreatic cancer in CANCON Work Package on screening (WP 9).