A CAMPAIGN urging people who suffer prolonged bouts of heartburn to be tested for cancer has received the backing of City of York Council.

The scheme, a part of the Government’s Be Clear on Cancer project, warns that experiencing the symptom most days for three months could be a sign of oesophageal or stomach cancer.

Council support was announced yesterday, on World Cancer Day, after it was revealed that 62 people in York were diagnosed with the cancers in 2012 and in the same year they claimed the lives of 50 people in the city.

Cllr Linsay Cunningham, Cabinet member for health and community engagement, said: “By raising awareness of the Be Clear on Cancer campaigns we hope that York residents will talk to their GP if they have persistent symptoms.”

A Public Health England Study has found only 55 percent of people would visit their doctor if they experienced long-lasting heartburn.

Another sign of the conditions is difficulty swallowing food, but again large numbers of people (70 per cent) did not know this is a symptom.

The Be Clear on Cancer campaign aims to tackle the disease by mounting awareness of symptoms, which can lead to earlier detection and improved survival rates.

City of York Council’s acting director of public health, Julie Hotchkiss, said: “The earlier cancer is diagnosed, the higher the chance of survival. People may be reluctant to visit their doctor about persistent heartburn, thinking that it’s something they just have to live with.”

She added: “I would urge people to visit their GP to have the symptoms checked out.”

Around 67 per cent of those diagnosed with oesophageal and stomach cancers in the early stages will survive for at least five years, but that figure plummets to just three percent if found at later stages.

Other symptoms of oesophago-gastric cancers to watch for include: indigestion on and off for three weeks or more; losing weight for no obvious reason; pain and discomfort in the upper-tummy area; trapped wind and frequent burping; and feeling bloated after eating.