February is Cholangiocarcinoma Awareness Month
Cholangiocarcinoma, or bile duct cancer, affects 1500 people a year in Britain and claims as many lives as cervical cancer, but most people have never heard of it.
AMMF, the UK’s only cholangiocarcinoma charity, is working to ensure that people do hear of it – and plans to use February as a springboard for doing just that.
Dr Shahid A Khan, Clinical Senior Lecturer and Consultant Physician at Imperial College London, and one of AMMF’s advisors, says:
“Cholangiocarcinoma (CC) used to be considered a very rare disease when I was at medical school 20 years ago, but we are seeing it more and more. It is the second commonest cancer arising within the liver.
Despite treatment advances in many other types of cancer, with CC only 5% of patients are likely to survive beyond a year, as patients present too late for surgery, the only cure. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy have very limited effect and a major problem is diagnosing the CC early and correctly.
Why the cancer arises, how it can be better diagnosed and new treatments are key areas which urgently require addressing with further research.”
Help us to CChallenge CC
February will also see the launch of AMMF’s CChallenge for 2012, which will run throughout the year. The aim is simple – you help to raise awareness of this devastating disease and raise funds to support research by taking part in a “C” event!
For AMMF’s own CChallenge Fundraising Adventures, click here
For Other CChallenges, click here
And if that’s not enough, AMMF’s new ikon and logo will make its debut, and the Specialist Viewpoint series will begin
Let’s CChallenge CC!
