Whanganui woman defeats pancreatic cancer

Prue Carver was smiling four days after her pancreatic cancer surgery. Photo / supplied

For many, a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer feels like a death sentence but Whanganui woman Prue Carver has a message for them: "Never give up".

Today is World Pancreatic Cancer Day, where people around the world raise awareness of the disease, its symptoms and the importance of early detection.

The cancer has a very low survival rate - mostly because its symptoms are easy to ignore and treating it is difficult.

When the 76-year-old former Rangitatau East Rd farmer noticed that her urine had become dark in September 2020 she consulted her GP. She felt "absolutely fine" and thought she might have a bladder infection.

"That's the scary thing - I felt absolutely fine."

Her GP took one look and told Carver to go straight to Whanganui Hospital for a scan.

It found a tumour that was blocking her bile duct, and she had an operation to put a stent in and open up the duct. She could then go on a waiting list for surgery - but thought she would be unlikely to get it because of her age.

She was fit and healthy and had health insurance, so she found a doctor in Auckland instead and had the surgery on October 19.

"I wanted a doctor with good stitching, so that in 10 years' time I wasn't going to come undone."

The tumour was on the tip of her pancreas, where it was easy to remove. The surgery caught it early, before it had a chance to spread.

But there were still cancer traces in one of her lymph nodes, so as an extra precaution she had chemotherapy in Palmerston North. She began to hate that and was glad when it was over.

She's now been told she is cancer-free, but will continue to have blood tests every three months.

"I don't know what the future holds but I do know I am one of the lucky ones. They diagnosed me early, which gave me options, and I am a fighter and met this head-on," she said.

There are major odds against surviving pancreatic cancer, but she wants people to know that sometimes things just go right.

She's now expecting to see her Virginia Rd garden through spring, autumn and winter. Most of her "amazing" family lives locally, and she had two dogs that require walking.

Also on her bucket list is a trip to Venice.

The pancreas is a small organ that sits behind the stomach, Gut Cancer Foundation spokeswoman Dr Sharon Pattison said.

It produces enzymes that help digest fats, and insulin that regulates blood sugar.

About 630 Kiwis are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer every year. It's the third or fourth most common cause of cancer death because it's often detected late, and it spreads rapidly.

The symptoms of pancreatic cancer are few, non-specific and may include stomach pain.

"You might feel tired, or not feel like eating much," Pattison said.

If the cancer is blocking a bile duct the person's urine becomes dark and their excrement becomes light-coloured. If the blockage continues they can become jaundiced, and they can lose a lot of weight.

If the tumour blocks an insulin duct they may get diabetes before they have other symptoms.

Treatment isn't easy, Pattison said. Surgery is difficult because of the position of the pancreas and the nerves and blood vessels around it. Often the cancer has spread elsewhere before it is diagnosed.