The 6 shockingly easy-to-miss signs of the UK's deadliest cancers revealed – are you at risk?

The Sun

02-06-2025

THE six deadliest cancers in the UK have been identified in a new report - accounting for 67,000 deaths every year.
The Government is now being urged to prioritise faster diagnosis of these cancers, after data revealed early diagnosis could save 7,500 lives annually.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Less Survivable Cancers has released a new report outlining the current deadliest cancers, which include:
Brain tumours
Liver cancer
Lung cancer
Pancreatic cancer
Oesophageal cancer
Stomach cancer
In the UK, the current five-year survival rate for these cancers is just 16 per cent.
And as it stands, just 28 per cent of these cancers are diagnosed at stage one or two, compared to 54 per cent of all cancers.
The APPG has identified that faster diagnosis is critical for improving people's access to treatment and ultimately their chance of survival.
But one of the barriers is early diagnosis, including the fundamental challenge of detecting these cancers early due to their often vague and non-specific symptoms.
We look at some of easy to miss symptoms of each of the cancers below.
Brain tumour
Brain tumour symptoms can be difficult to spot and may develop slowly and subtly, or not at all, especially with slower-growing tumours.
Symptoms can also be attributed to other conditions or overlooked.
A headache, while a common symptom, is often easy to dismiss, but it can be an early sign of a brain tumour.
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Brain tumour headaches are often described as dull, constant, and pressure-like, but they can also be throbbing.
A headache that gets worse over time, doesn't respond to over-the-counter pain relievers, or is accompanied by other symptoms like nausea, vomiting, seizures, or vision changes, should be evaluated by a doctor.
Liver cancer
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Liver cancer symptoms can be difficult to spot, especially in the early stages.
Many people with primary liver cancer don't experience any symptoms until the cancer has progressed, or they may experience vague symptoms that are easily attributed to other causes.
Everyone experiences tiredness at some point, and in many cases, it's a normal response to physical activity, stress, or lack of sleep.
However unexplained fatigue is a common symptom of liver cancer, often occurring as the body struggles to cope with the cancerous cells.
This fatigue is different from normal tiredness and doesn't improve with rest or sleep.
Lung cancer
People often associate lung cancer with a persistent cough that won't go away, breathlessness, and coughing up blood.
But a common, yet easy-to-miss, sign is finger clubbing, where the fingertips and nails appear wider and more rounded, sometimes with a spoon-like shape.
While lung cancer is the most common cause, finger clubbing can also be associated with other lung or heart conditions, as well as some gastrointestinal issues.
It's important to remember that finger clubbing can have various causes, so if you notice changes in your fingers, you should consult your doctor to rule out any underlying conditions.
Pancreatic cancer
Unexplained or unintentional weight loss can be a normal occurrence due to various factors, including stress, changes in diet, or medication side effects.
But it can also be a sign of pancreatic cancer.
Pancreatic cancer can disrupt the body's metabolism, leading to a breakdown of muscle and fat, even without changes in eating or digestion.
Unexplained weight loss related to pancreatic cancer often occurs before other, more noticeable symptoms like jaundice or abdominal pain.
Oesophageal cancer
Many symptoms of oesophageal cancer develop gradually, making it difficult to pinpoint when they began or attribute them to cancer.
One symptom often overlooked is difficulty swallowing.
While it can be a symptom of many different medical conditions, including nervous system and brain disorders, muscle disorders and physical blockages in your throat, it can signal the oesophagus narrowing due to cancer.
A person with oesophageal cancer may feel like food is getting stuck in their throat or chest, and swallowing may become uncomfortable or painful.
This feeling can worsen over time as the cancer progresses.
Stomach cancer
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Yes, stomach cancer symptoms are often vague and can be easily missed or mistaken for other conditions, especially in the early stages.
Many early signs are common gastrointestinal issues, such as heartburn, indigestion, bloating, and abdominal pain.
A persistent feeling of fullness after eating small amounts of food, known as early satiety, can be an easily missed symptom of stomach cancer.
This feeling, which may be uncomfortable and last longer than usual fullness, is a red flag that should be investigated by a doctor.
To drive earlier and faster diagnosis, the APPG report recommends 12 actions for the Government, including investing in research and the implementation of detection tests and tools, supporting campaigns to raise awareness of the symptoms of the deadliest cancers and appointing a named government lead to develop and coordinate a strategy to improve survival rates.
Paulette Hamilton MP, Chair of All Party Parliamentary Group on Less Survivable Cancers, said: 'Our inquiry has revealed that we are at a crucial moment for transforming patient outcomes and accelerating survival rates for the less survivable cancers.
"We're on the brink of research breakthroughs and in the midst of developing potentially game-changing Government health reforms. In this backdrop, achieving faster diagnosis for these devastating cancers is finally within reach.'
Alfie Bailey-Bearfield, Chair of the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce, said: 'Late diagnosis costs lives, particularly in the case of less survivable cancers. Inaction is simply not an option.
"As a country we must invest in greater research and support innovative detection tests to ensure that every patient diagnosed with these aggressive diseases receives timely and equitable access to the best possible care.
'For too long, the less survivable cancers have been left behind. The National Cancer Plan and Rare Cancers Bill offer a real opportunity to tackle the systemic barriers affecting earlier and faster diagnosis and drive further progress for the less survivable cancers and we need to see the Government grasping this opportunity with both hands.'
Cancer screenings in England
CATCHING cancer early gives you the best chance of survival, and a huge part of that is attending regular screenings.
NHS programmes can help diagnose the disease, or your risk of it, and improve the likelihood of successful treatment.
There are three national screening programmes in England: cervical screening, breast screening and bowel screening.
"If you are eligible, please make every effort to have your screening test as they can detect a problem early, before you have any symptoms. ," the NHS says.
"Finding out about a problem early can mean that treatment is more effective."
Cervical screening
This is offered in England to people with a cervix aged 25 to 64 and is routinely carried out every three years up to the age of 49, and every five from 50 to 64.
Depending on the result, people may be recalled earlier.
During a cervical screening, samples are tested for high risk Human Papillomavirus (HPV), which causes nearly all cervical cancers.
Those that test positive are then analysed further.
Breast screening
Breast screenings, which involve an X-ray test called a mammogram that can spot cancers when they are too small to see or feel, are usually offered to women aged 50 to 71 in England.
But the NHS is trialling them for women under 50 if they have a high risk of developing breast cancer.
Bowel screening
This test detects whether patients are showing any early signs of cancer.
It is available to everyone aged 50 to 74, with at-home kits automatically sent out every two years, so make sure your GP has your correct address.
The test involves providing a small poo sample to be checked for tiny amounts of blood, which could be caused by cancer.
If you're 75 or over, you can ask for a kit every two years by phoning the free bowel cancer screening helpline on 0800 707 60 60.
Source: NHS