Ali Stunt, a 60-year-old charity CEO from West Sussex, is among the minority of pancreatic cancer patients to have survived nearly two decades following diagnosis. Her experience highlights the challenges in diagnosing pancreatic cancer early, particularly when initial symptoms overlap with other conditions.

At age 40, Stunt was healthy, active, and without a family history of serious illness. A routine blood test revealed elevated blood sugar levels, a typical sign of type 2 diabetes, which is often linked to obesity. However, Stunt was slim and already maintained a healthy lifestyle. Initially, she attributed the abnormal results to a minor anomaly and was advised to manage it through diet and exercise, with no medication prescribed.

Over the ensuing months, her blood sugar levels remained high, and she began developing unusual symptoms, including persistent back pain described as a pressure sensation under her bra, abdominal pain after eating, diarrhea, and unexplained weight loss. Despite multiple visits to her general practitioner, she was repeatedly told that her symptoms were likely due to muscle strain, indigestion, or irritable bowel syndrome and was advised to use over-the-counter remedies.

After a severe episode where she was doubled over in pain, Stunt sought emergency care but was discharged with painkillers and no clear diagnosis. An out-of-hours doctor later suspected pancreatitis and administered morphine, urging follow-up with her GP. Facing a four- to six-week wait for an NHS ultrasound, Stunt opted for private testing. Subsequent imaging revealed a 5.5-centimeter tumor on her pancreas, and she was diagnosed with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, the most common form of pancreatic cancer.

Further examination clarified that Stunt’s elevated blood sugar was not due to type 2 diabetes but a condition known as type 3c diabetes, or pancreatogenic diabetes. This form arises when the pancreas is damaged, either by inflammation or tumors, impairing its ability to produce insulin and digestive enzymes. The initial misdiagnosis and lack of awareness around type 3c diabetes delayed her cancer diagnosis.

Experts note that distinguishing between type 2 and type 3c diabetes remains difficult because they present similarly and lack definitive blood or urine markers. Professor Hemant Kocher of the Barts Cancer Institute said the relationship between new-onset diabetes and pancreatic cancer is increasingly acknowledged but still not fully understood. Some researchers suggest that a subset of patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, particularly those in good health who develop symptoms suddenly, may actually have type 3c.

Following referral to an endocrinologist, Stunt’s type 3c diabetes diagnosis was confirmed—previously dismissed by her GP as nonexistent. She subsequently underwent major surgery removing most of her pancreas and spleen, followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Pancreatic cancer remains one of the deadliest malignancies, with a five-year survival rate of about 7 to 8 percent in the UK. Late diagnosis contributes heavily to poor outcomes; average life expectancy post-diagnosis is four to six months. Stunt’s ongoing survival and advocacy have been instrumental in urging the UK’s health authorities to include new-onset type 2 diabetes with additional symptoms in pancreatic cancer referral guidelines, potentially aiding earlier detection.

Through her work with Pancreatic Cancer Action, Stunt emphasizes the importance of patient awareness and persistence in seeking answers. “You’re a statistic of one,” she says. “It’s your disease, your treatment, your outcome—and the sooner it’s found, the better your chances of surviving.”