NOVEMBER is World Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month and an NHS Highland expert says time is of the essence when it comes to combating the disease.
According to the NHS, more than 280 people in the Highlands were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer over a five-year period from 2010, and approximately 800 people across Scotland, 80 per cent of who are 60 years of age and over, are diagnosed with the condition every year.
The number of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer has increased over the past decade and NHS Highland surgeon Ron Coggins says it is vital to improve public understanding of the illness.