An Oswestry resident whose wife died just one month after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer is sharing his story to support the launch of a national clinical trial into a breath test, announced today (Wednesday 29th). Pancreatic Cancer UK has invested more than £1.1M to further develop the test which scientists hope could be available to use within five years. Andrew Palmer is sharing how his wife, Jen had several tests in the year leading to her diagnosis and hopes the breath test could save families the pain of losing a loved one.
Andrew’s wife, Jen Palmer, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in February 2024 and died just over a month later, aged 50. From April 2023, Jen had stomach pain and indigestion which she saw the GP about several times and was tried on different medications. These vague symptoms – and others such as back pain and changes to poo – mean that in 80% of cases the cancer goes undetected until after it has spread to other parts of the body. It is the deadliest common cancer, with more than half of people dying within just three months of their diagnosis.
The breath test is being developed by Imperial College London. For the initial two-year study, scientists analysed over 700 breath samples from people with and without pancreatic cancer, as well as from those with other conditions affecting the pancreas.
Now Pancreatic Cancer UK is investing a further £1,141,128.35 to progress the test to a a multi-centre validation study, typically the final step before applying for regulatory approval, and then seeking adoption by the NHS. Patients will be recruited from the NHS Urgent Suspected Cancer Pathway – under which patients should receive an appointment within two weeks of a GP referral. The trial, involving over 6,000 patients with an unknown diagnosis, will see around 40 trial sites set-up at hospitals across England, Scotland and Wales.
Currently, no screening or early detection tests for pancreatic cancer exist to help doctors which Andrew tragically found out after Jen was diagnosed. From April 2023, she had several different blood tests, a gastroscopy, was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, visited urgent care and had a CT scan of her urinary tract, yet her diagnosis was missed. In November, she was referred to gastroenterology on an urgent basis, but later found out it had been downgraded, and Jen would be waiting 12 months for an appointment. She was told in January 2024 that another CT scan had been requested but this never took place.
It wasn’t until February 2024, after Jen was rushed to hospital from a GP appointment, that she had a CT scan. It revealed pancreatic cancer which had spread to her liver. Jen died just over a month later, aged 50, leaving behind Andrew and their four children.
Andrew Palmer, 55, said: “Most people who receive a pancreatic cancer diagnosis right now need to count the days, not the months. Jen had so many different tests: blood tests, scans, endoscopies, but it didn’t pick up the cancer. She was diagnosed too late and was too physically weak for chemotherapy to have given her more time. The brutality of the disease can’t be understated. There are no options at late stages. There must be hope for those who will go through this in the future.
“If there had been a breath test, perhaps that would have been performed when she first presented with symptoms. She may have been eligible for treatment, at least giving her more time. Jen thought she had time and had planned things to do for the kids. We had no idea how little time we had left with her.”
Charity, Pancreatic Cancer UK believes the test, which collects a one-off breath sample from a patient, has the potential to revolutionise the early detection of pancreatic cancer and save thousands of lives every year. Around 10,800 people are diagnosed with the disease annually across the UK. In future, simply breathing into a bag at a GP appointment could be the vital first step in giving many more people with the disease the chance to have surgery, currently the only potentially curative treatment.
The test detects volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in the breath. Thousands of these compounds travel around the bloodstream, are filtered out when the blood reaches the lungs, and then breathed out. Patients with cancer produce different types of compounds, and these changes are detectable in the breath even at the early stages of disease. Isolating unique combinations of VOCs should enable doctors to quickly identify people likely to have pancreatic cancer and then triage them for urgent investigation.
GPs who suspect pancreatic cancer can request imaging tests or refer patients to the hospital for further investigations. However, the disease’s vague symptoms are common to many much less serious conditions, meaning health professionals currently face a huge challenge in deciding who should be referred for further investigation and who can be monitored or reassured. The breath test, which is designed to be accurate, non-invasive, and usable in a GP surgery or pharmacy, could have a significant impact while remaining cost-effective for the NHS by streamlining referral pathways. Breath samples can be taken in as little as 30 seconds, and scientists believe it could be possible to provide GPs with the test results within just three days. This would enable patients most at risk to be referred quickly for scans to diagnose or rule-out pancreatic cancer.
Diana Jupp, CEO of Pancreatic Cancer UK, said: “The breath test has the potential to revolutionise the early detection of pancreatic cancer. It is, undoubtedly, the most significant step toward a lifesaving-breakthrough in 50 years.
“While more years of development are still needed before we can put this exciting new technology into the hands of GPs across the country, thousands of patients with an unknown diagnosis will now help refine it in the real-world. This is the first pancreatic cancer breath test to ever reach a national clinical trial of this scale. That in itself makes this a moment of real, tangible hope.
“For decades the deadliest common cancer has been seen as too great a challenge to solve but we are determined to keep pushing the boundaries of what’s thought possible. To fully realise the potential to transform early detection, we need the government to commit to increasing investment in the expected National Cancer Plan. Finding this devastating disease early gives people the very best chance of lifesaving treatment.”
The announcement comes six months on from the 2025 TCS London Marathon, for which Pancreatic Cancer was the official charity partner. Hundreds of runners took on the ultimate test to help put the first-ever early detection test for the disease into the hands of doctors. Money they raised will support projects like the breath test, and other worldclass research.
Andrew and Jen Palmer.
