FROM the age of 30, Dave Chuter had experienced heartburn and digestive issues, taking medication to ease his symptoms.
But at the age of 52, after having difficulty swallowing, Dave returned to his GP in search of answers.
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The father of two put his acid reflux down to stress, work, or maybe the curry he’d eaten.
Dave, from West Sussex, said: “I’d take medication for a few months, and it would clear up, but really, it was just masking the symptoms.
“Like most people, I thought it was normal.”
In 2006 when Dave started having issues swallowing his food, he knew something wasn’t right.
He said: “I went to my GP, who initially said it was just heartburn but referred me for an endoscopy, just in case.
“I was told I was ‘too young to have oesophageal cancer’, but they would check me out just to be safe”.
It was then Dave was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer – a cancer that develops in the lining of the oesophagus, the tube that carries food from the throat to the stomach.
Figures published in February this year showed Britain has one of the highest rates of throat cancer in Europe and cases are rising in younger adults.
Around 9,500 people per year are diagnosed with it in the UK and eight out of 10 die within five years because many cases are caught late.
The two weeks after the endoscopy were a bit of a blur for Dave, with so many emotions and decisions to deal with.
He said: “Getting the news was devastating for me, I remember me and my wife Gill went a walk to our favourite place and we just sat and cried.
“The choice I had was to go through with a surgery I may not survive, or face the prospect of having only six to nine months to live.
“I had to go for the surgery, they removed more than 75 per cent of my stomach and most of my oesophagus.
“It was a huge operation, but without it, I wouldn’t be here.”
Recently, Dave was invited for a tour of a project which is looking improve the survival rates of oesophageal cancer.
The project is co-funded by Worldwide Cancer Research, a charity that funds vital discovery research into any type of cancer in any location around the world, and Guts UK, the national charity for the digestive system.
Dr Maria Alcolea and her team at the University of Cambridge are hoping to help patients by understanding how oesophageal cancer, which is the sixth most common cause of cancer death around the world, first emerges.
Dr Alcolea said: “Meeting Dave has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. Learning about his personal journey has deeply inspired our work, giving us a clear and tangible perspective on what truly matters—patients’ lives.
“The partnership between Worldwide Cancer Research and Guts UK has been a game-changer for us as researchers. It’s rare to find funders like them.
“We’ve built a close working relationship, and from our interactions, it’s clear they genuinely care about the research they support.
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“They focus on nurturing both science and the people behind it. They also connect scientists with patients, which provides valuable insights and helps shape research that can truly improve patients’ lives”.
Now 71, Dave is retired from his work in the print industry and has dedicated his life to working in patient advocacy to help others impacted by cancer, while also enjoying time with his family and grandchildren.
Dave said: “It was a privilege to get to see Dr Alcolea and her team’s work up close. As someone who has been through this journey and works with patients going through their own, it gives us all hope for the future that so much work is being done to help find cures and stop cancer.
“The work of Worldwide Cancer Research and Guts UK is vital and something I am a huge believer in.
“We have to all work together, share knowledge, experience and expertise to find solutions.
“While Worldwide Cancer Research and Guts UK may be different organisations, this approach shows the way forward in beating cancer.
There can’t be barriers, there can’t be borders. We all must come together to work collaboratively and help each other.”
Katie Noon, Chief Operating Officer at Guts UK, added:“We are delighted to have had the opportunity to bring together Dave, one of our Experts by Experience, and Dr Maria Alcolea and her team. It was fantastic to visit the lab and hear first-hand what the team are discovering about oesophageal cancer as the research project unfolds.
“Guts UK advocates for and with patients to ensure their experiences and voices are heard and jointly funded research projects like this one allow us to partner with charities like Worldwide Cancer Research to bring together perspectives from both sides and maximise our impact”.
The warning signs of oesophageal cancer
OESOPHAGEAL cancer is a cancer of the food pipe.
It affects 9,400 people in the UK every year, and most people are over the age of 60.
Smoking increases your risk of the disease, as does being overweight, drinking alcohol and having conditions like Barrett’s oesophagus, where the cells lining your oesophagus have become abnormal.
Only 12 per cent of patients survive for 10 or more years after being diagnosed.
There are around 8,000 oesophageal cancer deaths in the UK every year – or 22 every day.
Early diagnosis is key, so recognising the symptoms is vital. The most common include:
- Difficulty swallowing
- Unexplained weight loss
- Indigestion or heartburn that doesn’t go away
- Pain in the throat or behind the breastbone
But some people also experience a cough, hoarseness, dark poo, tiredness and food coming back up after swallowing.
Source: Cancer Research UK
