Symptoms of pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer usually does not cause symptoms in its early stages. As the cancer grows, symptoms begin to appear. It includes:
abdominal or back pain
yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes (jaundice)
unexplained weight loss
Pancreatic cancer symptoms can be vague. These can be caused by other conditions, but it’s important to get checked out by a doctor. If you develop new symptoms that do not go away, see your doctor.
About the symptoms of pancreatic cancer
Symptoms vary depending on where the tumor is located in the pancreas (head, body, tail). Most pancreatic cancers begin in cells that produce digestive juices, called exocrine tumors. The most common form of pancreatic cancer is called adenocarcinoma.
General symptoms
Abdominal or back pain
7 out of 10 (70%) patients with pancreatic cancer go to the doctor because of pain. Pain is a symptom of cancer in the body and tail of the pancreas. People describe it as a dull, dull pain. It can start in the abdomen and spread to the back. The pain is aggravated by lying down and relieved by sitting forward. It may be worse after eating.
Some people may only have back pain. It is usually felt in the center of the back and is usually permanent.
Jaundice
Many people with pancreatic cancer are jaundiced when they first see their doctor. Most of them will also be painful. About 10 out of 100 people (about 10%) have painless jaundice.
Jaundice refers to yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes. Urine (urine) may be darker than normal, and feces (feces or stool) may be lighter in color. Jaundice is common because tumors in the head of the pancreas block the bile ducts. This tube carries bile to the small intestine (duodenum). When blocked, bile enters the bloodstream. You excrete it in your urine (which makes it dark), not in your bowels (so your stool looks lighter).
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Bile contains a lot of yellow pigment, which gives the skin a yellow color. It may be less noticeable in dark or brown skin. It’s a lot easier than it looks on the whites of the eyes.
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Jaundice is a common symptom of many diseases of the liver and gallbladder.
Learn more about the bile duct
Lose weight
People diagnosed with pancreatic cancer may have recently lost a lot of weight (at least 10% of their total body weight) for no apparent reason. This symptom is more common in pancreatic head cancer.
Other signs or symptoms
Pancreatic cancer can cause other symptoms. This can happen before or after a cancer diagnosis. Not everyone has all the symptoms.
Diabetes
Some people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer are diagnosed with diabetes for the first time. Some were diagnosed with diabetes last year. If you have diabetes, you don’t produce enough insulin. This means your blood sugar is too high. Sugar leaves the body in the urine, which carries some water with it.
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It includes:
thirst
urinate profusely
weakness
weight loss and hunger
Itching
Severe jaundice can cause itching. An increase in the concentration of bile salts in the blood can cause itching.
Illness
You may experience discomfort due to jaundice and inflammation of the pancreas. Both of these conditions disrupt the body’s delicate chemical balance.
If surrounding cancer or inflammation begins to block the passage of food from the stomach to the first part of the intestine, you may become sick. Due to the disease, appetite decreases, which leads to weight loss.
Bowel changes
If your pancreatic duct is blocked, you may experience symptoms called steatorrhea. It means excrement (poop). It is common to have stools that are hard to wash, large, pale in color, and have a foul odor. These intestinal disorders mean that food is not digested properly. It also leads to weight loss.
Fever and chills
Sometimes jaundice and pancreatitis cause fever. When you have a high fever, you may feel cold and chilly.
indigestion
Indigestion can cause heartburn, bloating, and nausea. This is a common problem in the general population, and for most people, it is not a sign of cancer.
If it doesn’t go away or doesn’t improve with medication, you should see your doctor again.
blood clots
Sometimes pancreatic cancer is associated with blood clots. For example, deep leg veins or small veins can appear anywhere on the body. Sometimes the bumps disappear and then appear on other parts of the body.
