Countryfile’s Adam Henson admitted he and his wife Charlie “cried a lot” at their wedding after they were hastily married following a cancer diagnosis.
The 57-year-old TV presenter said it felt like he had been “hit with a sledgehammer” when Charlie, his partner of 28 years, found out she had the disease in 2021.
The couple, who dated in sixth grade before officially getting together in their 20s, walked down the aisle shortly after the diagnosis because marriage was “suddenly a big thing,” said Charlie, a location manager in the television industry. .
Charlie, one of around 10,500 Britons diagnosed with the deadly disease each year, is now in “ongoing recovery” and undergoes scans every six months after surgery to remove the tumour.
Symptoms she experienced prior to diagnosis included debilitating diarrhea and dramatic weight loss. Here, MailOnline shares the warning signs of the “silent killer”.
Pancreatic cancer is also known as the “silent killer” because of its subtle symptoms that are often not noticed until it is too late.
The Country File star, 57, told how his wedding vows allowed him to “toughen up” his feelings after Charlie (pictured in November 2019) was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer
Jaundice
Jaundice, the yellowing of the skin and eyes, is one of the most common early symptoms of pancreatic cancer.
It is caused by the build-up of bilirubin, a yellow-brown substance produced by the liver. The liver secretes bile, a liquid meant to aid digestion that contains bilirubin.
When the liver is functioning normally, bile flows through channels in the intestines and helps break down fat.
However, when the bile ducts are blocked, bilirubin builds up, causing yellowing of the skin and eyes.
In pancreatic cancer, this can occur when a tumor from the adjacent pancreas presses on the bile ducts.
Jaundice only occurs in some patients with early-stage pancreatic cancer because the bile ducts are blocked when the tumor grows in a particular part of the organ.
Other signs of jaundice include dark urine, light or greasy stools, and itchy skin.
The yellowing of the skin that occurs with jaundice may be harder to see for people with black or brown skin.
stomach ache
Tumors that grow in certain parts of the pancreas can press on other organs and nerves in the body and cause pain in the stomach area.
Patients describe it as a “dull” pain that feels “dull” and usually occurs in the upper part of the abdomen.
This pain can also occur when a tumor blocks the digestive tract.
The pain may come and go at first, but becomes more constant as the disease progresses.
It may be worse when lying down or after eating, but may be relieved by sitting forward.
However, it is important to note that pain is only one possible symptom of pancreatic cancer. Some patients feel no pain at all due to the exact location of their tumor.
While survival rates for some cancers such as breast and prostate cancer have improved in recent decades, improvement for other cancers such as lung and pancreatic cancer has been at a snail’s pace.
The ten-year survival rate for common cancers is now 50 percent. However, in the case of pancreatic cancer, it remains at around five percent
Back pain
Pain can also spread from the stomach to the back.
This pain is generally persistent and is usually located in the middle of the back or just below the shoulder blades.
Whether this symptom, such as stomach pain, occurs at all may depend on the specific location of the tumor.
Some patients only have back pain and no stomach pain, which in turn is related to the specific shape of their tumor and the way it presses on other tissue.
Sudden weight loss
People with pancreatic cancer may experience unexplained weight loss.
This can be due to problems with the pancreas, which helps digest food, and/or people losing their appetite due to other symptoms such as pain.
Cancers can deplete the body of energy as tumors grow, which can also lead to weight loss.
People who experience unexplained weight loss combined with other symptoms such as pain or changes in bowel habits are advised to discuss this with their doctor.
Swinging stools
Unusual changes in bowel habits can be a sign of pancreatic cancer.
As a result of the general disruption of the digestive process, constipation or diarrhea may occur.
But a special sign can be floating, pale and oily stools.
Medically known as steatorrhea. These are frequent, thick stools that are pale in color, smelly, float in the toilet bowl and are difficult to flush.
They are caused by fat that is normally absorbed by the body, but remains undigested and ends up in the faeces.
Pancreatic cancer disrupts the normal digestive process and limits the amount of pancreatic enzymes released into the intestines.
These enzymes help digest food, and a lack of them causes problems as undigested food moves quickly through the digestive tract.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
