Pancreatic Cancer Symptoms

Are you worried about certain changes in your body? Being aware of the common signs of pancreatic cancer can make a difference in early detection and diagnosis, ultimately leading to a more favorable treatment plan and outcome. Here are a few of the most commonly experienced pancreatic cancer symptoms.

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Jaundice is a condition that causes your skin and the whites of your eyes to turn yellow. When a pancreatic tumor blocks the common bile duct, it prevents bile from draining into the small intestine. This causes bilirubin to build up in the bloodstream, causing the skin and the whites of your eyes to turn yellow. As excess bilirubin is filtered by the kidneys, you may also notice dark-coloured urine. As a result of the reduced bile pigments in the digestive tract, you may also produce clay-colored stools.

Belly pain, occurring in 80% of all pancreatic cancer patients, is a common pancreatic cancer symptom. It is presented as a dull ache, localised to the upper abdomen and can radiate to the back.

When the tumor spreads, it compresses nerves or other structures near the pancreas, which can lead to pain that can radiate to the back. You might initially mistake this for indigestion or common stomach discomfort.

Related: Signs That Pancreatic Cancer Has Spread

Pancreatic tumors can interfere with digestive enzyme production, leading to reduced nutrient absorption and appetite. This can result in unexplained weight loss without any changes to your diet or exercise. Weight loss has been reported to occur in approximately 70–80% of pancreatic cancer patients and over a third of the patients have reported loss of more than 10% of their initial body weight.

Pancreatic tumors can compress the stomach and cause nausea, vomiting and bloating. When growing tumors block your digestive tract, it can also lead to discomfort and the sensation of feeling full after eating only small amounts of food. This can also contribute to unintentional weight loss.

Pancreatic tumors can disrupt insulin production. This results in elevated blood sugar levels. You might experience symptoms of diabetes such as frequent urination, excessive thirst, hunger and fatigue. While diabetes is linked to multiple medical complications, new-onset diabetes in adults over the age of 50 without previous risk factors may require careful evaluation. It has also been suggested that new-onset diabetes can be used as the first sieve for further pancreatic cancer screening, but more research is needed.

Pancreatic cancer symptoms are similar in females and males. While it is slightly more common in males than females worldwide, a study in the US found that the rates of pancreatic cancer are rising faster among younger women than men of the same age. Ultimately, more research is needed to understand these trends and determine their cause.

The early signs of pancreatic cancer are often subtle and can result from a variety of conditions not related to cancer. However, when two or more symptoms, such as abdominal pain, weight loss, jaundice, or digestive disturbances persist for several weeks without a clear cause, it is important to seek medical evaluation.

Related: How is Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosed?