Few would say they’re thankful for having a kidney stone.
But Melbourne mother Carol Chevalier doubts she would be alive today if she hadn’t gone to hospital with severe nausea and lower back pain in 2023.
After treatment, doctors wanted to do follow-up scans to confirm there weren’t other rock-like crystals lodged in her urinary system. Eager to leave hospital, Chevalier said she would get the imaging done at a local clinic.
It’s lucky she didn’t delay.
“When I had my scan, I was told then and there I needed to see my GP straight away,” Chevalier says. “I was told I had a growth on my pancreas. I had absolutely no idea. No symptoms.”
After 12 months of medical monitoring, the eastern suburbs resident was told the tumour was growing rapidly and beginning to block her bile duct – a small organ that sends essential digestive fluids to other parts of the body.
“I was advised at that stage that I needed major surgery, which made me feel so scared and confused. They said if I left the tumour, it would develop into pancreatic cancer.”
Just 1 per cent to 3 per cent of stage 4 pancreatic cancer patients will live for five years.
Chevalier once again found herself in hospital. This time, it was for a marathon 13-hour surgery.
The operation – called the Whipple procedure – involved removing the head of her pancreas, bile duct, and even part of her stomach. Chevalier spent eight days in hospital.
“The biggest challenge was eating,” she says.
“I now eat smaller meals more frequently. I also have to take pancreatic enzymes for the rest of my life – they help me digest and give me the nutrients I need.
“But if I hadn’t had my scans, I probably wouldn’t be sitting here today.”
While she considers herself one of the lucky ones, Chevalier is part of the growing number of Australians at risk of upper gastrointestinal cancers.
The number of new pancreatic cancer diagnoses has tripled – from about 1200 new cases annually to around 4000 – over the past 40 years, according to Cancer Australia figures.
Liver cancer is also on the rise. There were 2574 new cases diagnosed in Australia in 2021. The figure for last year was estimated to reach 3175 new cases.
Pancare Foundation – the country’s leading charity supporting patients and families affected by upper gastrointestinal cancers – estimates that, when combined, cancers from this group now kill more Australians than lung cancer.
Upper gastrointestinal (GI) cancers include cancers of the pancreas, liver, stomach, oesophagus and biliary tract.
Cancers of the windpipe and lungs killed just over 9000 people in 2024, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics data. This was the fifth most common cause of death in Australia at the time (the leading cause being Alzheimer’s and dementia, followed by heart disease).
But Pancare says there were a combined 9301 deaths from pancreatic, liver and other cancers of the upper GI tract in 2024, illustrating the need for more research and awareness.
“Upper GI cancers are now responsible for nearly one in five cancer deaths but have received less than one in 10 cancer research dollars in Australia in recent years,” Pancare’s head of advocacy, Dr Mark Buzza, said.
Professor Mehrdad Nikfarjam, one of Australia’s leading liver, pancreas and biliary surgeons, said it was fair to group upper GI cancers together because of their poor prognosis rates, some common symptoms such as back pain, and links to certain genetic mutations.
“For us to improve outcomes, we have to invest in the most innovative research and look at new ways to deal with these cancers. You can’t just replicate [targeted therapies for cancers with better survival rates].”
Pancreatic cancer symptoms
- Jaundice
- Itchy skin or dark urine
- Abdominal or back pain
- Unexplained weight loss
- Persistent fatigue or nausea
- Changes in stool or appetite
There is no national screening program for pancreatic cancer.
Chevalier said she would love to see more awareness of these kinds of cancers, given the saturation of anti-smoking and sun-smart messaging.
“I had no idea of upper GI cancers three years ago.”
Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said that since coming to government, Labor had made a record investment in cancer nurses and made it easier for patients to access immunotherapy.
“We know patients want faster access to cutting-edge medicine and treatments. That’s why our government is working through the recommendations of the HTA [Health Technology Assessment] review.”
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Broede Carmody is a health reporter for The Age. Previously, he was a state political reporter for The Age and the national news blogger for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.