Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month: Shine a Light for Early Detection!

• Written by Mudit Handa

  Reviewed by Akhil Pillai

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Pancreatic cancer is a silent killer that gradually claims lives if not treated promptly. The World Pancreatic Cancer Coalition (WPCC) states that Pancreatic Cancer globally is the sixth leading cause of death among all primary cancers. Moreover, its five-year survival rate is in the single digits. WPCC further reveals that the death tally due to this silent killer is going to touch 470,000 worldwide.

The global fight against this dreadful disease was ignited by WPCC, an alliance of over 100 organisations fighting against it in 2014 in the form of an initiative called ‘Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month’, typically observed every November. The month of November holds critical importance due to the particularly aggressive nature of the disease, its challenging early detection, and the urgent need for increased research funding and public education.

What is the Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month Theme for 2025?

Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN), the US-based foundation dedicated to the cause of eradicating Pancreatic Cancer, has suggested the official Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month 2025 theme:

“Shine a Light: Early Detection Saves Lives”

The theme has been purposely chosen to highlight the best approach to overcoming challenges in fighting pancreatic cancer symptoms. The theme touches on two significant aspects: 

The core messages of the campaign emphasise both hope and urgency: 

1. The ‘Shine a Light’ initiative fosters unity and optimism. 
2. Whereas ‘Early Detection Saves Lives’ underscores the vital necessity of detecting key pancreatic cancer symptoms, which include: 

• Jaundice, 
• Unexplained weight loss, and 
• Abdominal pain. 

In a nutshell, the Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month theme underscores the urgent need for advancements in screening and diagnostic technologies to combat this disease.

Real Challenge: Early Detection of Pancreatic Cancer

The pancreas is located deep within the abdomen, making tumours difficult to detect during routine physical exams. Furthermore, early symptoms are often vague, non-specific, or absent, leading to late-stage diagnosis.

• Asymptomatic Early Stages: Unlike some cancers, there are no widespread, routine screening tests available for the general population to detect pancreatic cancer in its earliest, most curable stages.
• Vague Symptoms: When symptoms do appear (e.g., back pain, unexplained weight loss, new-onset diabetes, jaundice), they often hint at more common, less severe conditions, resulting in diagnostic delays.

Early detection of both types of pancreatic cancer symptoms is a great challenge in fighting this disease. The Pancreatic Cancer Awareness campaign aims to advocate for the research and development of innovative methods for diagnosing and treating pancreatic cancer, ultimately saving lives.

Know more about Pancreatic Cancer.

How to Participate in the Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month Theme for 2025?

Purple is the theme colour for Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month. Wearing a purple ribbon in November, Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, is most effectively connected to the people affected by this disease. Use this as an opportunity to communicate to as many people as you can by hosting the following types of events:

• Celebrate ‘Purple Day’: This World Pancreatic Cancer Day, visit workplaces, schools, and local businesses and encourage people to participate in the 20th November ‘Purple Day Parade’ where everyone wears the colour of awareness, i.e., purple ribbon for pancreatic cancer awareness in exchange for a small donation.
• Organise a Signature Event such as:

1. A ‘Purple Stride’ or ‘Local Awareness Run / Community Walk’: Host a 5K walk/run event with the theme colour purple, to raise funds and community visibility.
2. Community Dinner or Gala: Alternatively, you may host a formal event featuring speakers and a silent auction to raise substantial funds for a designated research initiative.

These are some practical ways to utilise purple ribbons in a pancreatic cancer awareness campaign.

World Pancreatic Cancer Day Webinar

This year, on 20th November, i.e., World Pancreatic Cancer Day, PanCAN is holding an educational webinar on pancreatic cancer awareness. This free, virtual event will feature a panel of leading researchers and field experts, who will discuss their efforts to revolutionise the identification of high-risk individuals. New methods for the earlier detection of pancreatic cancer will come to the limelight, aiming to find the disease when it is more treatable.

Apart from the pancreatic cancer awareness campaign, it is essential to educate people about the importance of adequate health coverage in managing healthcare costs during a medical emergency.

Fight Cancer Fearlessly with a Cancer Mediclaim

Knowing that the pancreatic cancer symptoms are often hidden and escape preliminary diagnosis, it is reasonably necessary to have a safety net to secure your savings from a massive medical emergency. Wisdom advises that you should be prepared with a concrete mediclaim insurance, such as the Care Cancer Mediclaim plan, which provides timely coverage for all stages of cancer treatment. Such a plan can cover your hospitalisation expenses, surgical costs and ICU room rent. Therefore, securing a comprehensive cancer mediclaim plan is essential to cover all associated fees. Furthermore, it's beneficial to choose a plan that offers a waiting period modification benefit, allowing for a reduction in waiting times and providing immediate coverage when you need it most.

Disclaimer: It is essential to verify the policy details and coverage with the official policy documents. Additionally, please consult a professional medical expert to confirm the details of your health concerns.