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Pancreatic cancer can be called a silent disease because many times no signs or symptomsare noticed until the cancer is in an advanced stage. Even when there are early signs and symptoms, they may be vague and easily attributed to another disease. The signs and symptoms also may be confusing to patients and healthcare providers because they vary, depending on where the tumor is located in the pancreas (the head, body, or tail). It is important to see your doctor if you have any of the signs or symptoms of pancreatic cancer.
• Jaundice, with or without
– Itching
– Dark urine
– Light stool
• General symptoms
– Back pain
– Fatigue or weakness
• Other illnesses
– Pancreatitis
– Diabetes
• Digestive problems
– Unexplained weight loss
– Loss of appetite
– Malnutrition
– Nausea or vomiting
– Abdominal painø
Jaundice is a yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes. Signs and
symptoms that may occur with jaundice are itching, dark urine, and
clay-colored stool. The itching may be severe.
Jaundice occurs when bilirubinstains the skin. Bilirubinis a dark-green substance made in the liver.Starting in the liver, bilirubin travels down the bile duct and into the small intestine. When the bile duct is blocked by a tumor or when a tumor is located in the head of the pancreas near the bile duct, the bile is prevented from reaching the intestines. The bile then accumulates in tissues, blood, and the skin, leading to jaundice.
There are other, more common causes of jaundice, such as hepatitis (inflammation of the liver) or obstruction of the bile duct by a gallstone.
This common sign of advanced pancreatic cancer occurs when the tumor presses on organs and nerves around the pancreas. The pain may be constant or intermittent and can be worse after eating or when lying down. Many conditions other than pancreatic cancer can cause back pain.2,3
People with pancreatic cancer may feel very tired.
An inflammation of the pancreas called pancreatitiscan be a sign of pancreatic cancer when it is chronic or when it appears for the first time and is not related to either drinking alcohol or gallstones.
Developing diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes), especially after the age of 50, can be a sign of pancreatic cancer.
People with pancreatic cancer may lose weight, may have little or no appetite, or may suffer from malnutrition.2,3When pancreatic enzymes cannot be released into the intestine, digesting food, especially high-fat foods, may be difficult. Over time, significant weight loss and malnutrition may result. In a study of more than 2,000 people with diabetes over 50 years of age, researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, found an association between newly developed sugar diabetes and pancreatic cancer.
If the tumor blocks the upper part of the small intestine (the duodenum), nausea and vomiting may result.
Just as in back pain, abdominal pain is a common sign of advanced pancreatic cancer. It occurs when the tumor presses on organs and nerves around the pancreas.
Many other illnesses can cause these signs and symptoms, but it is important to take them seriously and see your doctor. If you have a first-degree relative with pancreatic cancer, tell your doctor and consider joining a pancreatic registry.
In a study of more than 2,000 people with diabetes over 50 years of age, researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, found an association between newly developed sugar diabetes and pancreatic cancer. Within 3 years of diagnosis, people with diabetes had a risk of pancreatic cancer that was eight times that of same-age, average persons. Itis thought that new-onset diabetes may be an indicator that would allowfor earlier detection and treatment of pancreatic cancer. It is too early to tell if this indicator can be used to screen people over the age of 50 for pancreatic cancer.
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