Nearly half of NI adults cannot name a single symptom of blood cancer despite it being the third biggest cancer killer in the UK, according to new research released by Blood Cancer UK.
When people were asked to spontaneously list what they thought were common signs of blood cancer, the charity’s survey found almost half (48%) said they did not know of any.
Over one in four (28%) said it would be somewhat or extremely unlikely they would consult a GP if they had any of the main symptoms associated with the disease – fatigue, bruising, swollen lymph nodes and night sweats.
When asked to list up to 10 types of cancers they were aware of, blood cancer and leukaemia were the 14th and 10th most commonly listed while lymphoma came 20th.
The YouGov poll of over 2,000 UK adults was commissioned by Blood Cancer UK to mark the beginning of Blood Cancer Awareness Month, and which warns the findings highlight an urgent need to raise public awareness of blood cancers. One in 19 people will be diagnosed with blood cancer, which include leukaemia, lymphoma, and myeloma, at some point in their lives, and they kill more people every year in the UK than either breast or prostate cancer.
Kate Keightley, head of support services at Blood Cancer UK, said: ‘Blood cancer is the fifth most common type of cancer in the UK so it’s extremely concerning to continue to see such low public awareness of the signs.’
‘Sadly, symptoms such as night sweats and unexplained tiredness, weight loss and bruising can sometimes be dismissed or downplayed, with devastating results. We fear many people might also be confusing breathlessness, a fever and tiredness with Covid-19 and cases are being left undiagnosed. At the moment, we know that too many people are being diagnosed late, which often reduces the chance of survival, so it is so vital people get symptoms checked out as soon as possible.’
‘If you have symptoms that cannot be explained and are persistent, you should urgently make an appointment with your GP. While it is unlikely to be anything serious, it’s so important to get checked out.’
Irene Grey, 38, lives in Co Antrim with her husband. She was diagnosed with JAK2 positive Essential Thrombocythemia (JAK2 ET) in February 2019.
This is her story:
“I spent years asking myself what’s wrong with me, why can I not do better? I couldn’t understand why I felt so tired all the time, would constantly ask myself: “Why do I feel this tired, why am I sweating so much at night, why am I getting these headaches?” At the time I put it down to the stress of undergoing fertility treatment, being busy at work. The thought that I might have blood cancer never occurred to me.”
“From as early as 2014 I went back and forth to my GP. At one stage they thought it might be coeliac disease, and blood tests showed that my platelet count was outside of the normal range but as it kept going up and down no one pushed it any further.”
“It wasn’t until I lost a lot of weight in a very short space of time that I went to the GP again and a doctor I hadn’t seen before wondered why I hadn’t been seen by haematology. From there it was a very short space of time to being diagnosed with JAK2 positive Essential Thrombocythemia. My surgeon described it as my bone marrow being like a light switch always in the on position which means I’m making platelets constantly. This means I’m at much higher risk of blood clots and of developing other blood cancers such as leukaemia.”
“My cancer isn’t like other cancers in that it can be taken away and you can be cured and a lifetime diagnosis like this in your 30s is obviously a shock. But I’m in a routine now where I have blood tests every six to eight weeks and am on anti-platelet medication. I’ve had a conversation with my team about chemotherapy drugs should my condition advance but I’m keen to hold off on that for as long as possible.”
“I’m still working and determined to carry on living life as normally as possible. Blood Cancer UK have been such a great support to me especially with that really practical help and providing information, I want to share my story so I can tell people, yes, a blood cancer diagnosis is scary but you have to, and must, find a way to keep on living.”
Blood Cancer UK provides information and support for anyone affected by blood cancer. To speak to a member of its trained blood cancer support team in confidence, call free on 0808 2080 888.
To donate to lifesaving research and patient support, visit bloodcancer.org.uk/donate or text BECAUSE to 70577 to donate £10 via your phone bill. (T&Cs apply*)