‘DON’T ignore the burn’ is the advice from a new NHS campaign in Tameside to raise awareness of the link between heartburn, indigestion and gullet cancer.
Posters will be displayed at prominent sites, including supermarkets and roadside locations, as well as adverts on pharmacy bags and on radio, social media, libraries and in GP surgeries across the area.
Heartburn – a burning sensation in the middle of your chest – and indigestion – a pain or discomfort in your tummy – might sometimes be shrugged off or put down to drinking too much alcohol or something you have eaten.
The campaign, led by Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance, urges men in particular but anyone over 55, who has had heartburn or indigestion that lasts three weeks or more to visit their doctor.
It also draws attention to difficulty swallowing or food getting stuck as another potential symptom of gullet cancer that people, whatever their age, need to act on by going to their GP.
The new campaign coincided with Men’s Health Week (June 10-16) and plays a crucial role in improving people’s overall experience of getting diagnosed and treated for cancer.
Eye-catching posters have the words ‘heartburn for three weeks or more’ emblazoned across men and women’s chests.
The posters urge people to make sure they ‘don’t ignore the burn’ and visit their doctor if their heartburn lasts three weeks or more.
Another poster highlights indigestion with a man clutching his tummy and urges people to see their doctor if symptoms last for three weeks or more.
And a third focuses on the food pipe and stresses the importance of going to your doctor if you have difficulty swallowing or it feels like food is getting stuck.
Mr Javed Sultan, a leading doctor specialising in gullet cancer from the NHS Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance, said: “We know lots of people will have had heartburn or indigestion at one time or another.
“The thing to look out for, especially if you are aged 55 or older, is if your heartburn or your indigestion lasts three weeks or more. If that happens it’s time to visit your doctor.
“We also know some people might get over-the-counter medicines in pharmacies or supermarkets to treat these symptoms. But if you find yourself going back again and again to get these medicines, then again it is time to see your doctor.
“This campaign is about getting people to visit their doctor with potential symptoms of gullet cancer earlier.
“The chances are it won’t be cancer, but we know the earlier cancer is caught the better the chances are for successful treatment.”
David Jones-Stanley, who was diagnosed with gullet cancer in October 2021, has helped work on the campaign.
He said: “I know first-hand the importance of early detection and treatment. This campaign highlights the common symptoms of gullet cancer, and hopefully it will empower people to seek medical advice sooner and improve outcomes.”
- For more information about the signs and symptoms of gullet cancer (also known as oesophageal cancer) go to the NHS website.