Pancreatic Cancer
Symptoms
One of the biggest challenges with diagnosing pancreatic cancer at an early stage is that signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer often don’t occur until the disease is advanced,18 and when symptoms do appear, they may be easy to confuse with those of other illnesses.
Symptoms of pancreatic cancer?
The most common symptoms of pancreatic cancer are:
- Unexplained weight loss
- Abdominal pain and/or back pain
- Abdominal distension
- Feeling bloated or full
- Jaundice
- Bowel problems
- Sudden onset diabetes
- Depression
- Deep vein thrombosis
- Indigestion/heartburn/nausea and vomiting
- Fever and shivering
- Dysphagia (swallowing difficulties)
- Loss of appetite
- Extreme tiredness/fatigue
- Unexplained acute pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
- Stools that are large, pale, smelly and float
Do see your doctor if you have any of these symptoms, especially if you are at a higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer.
18. Mayo Clinic. Pancreatic Cancer. Available from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pancreatic-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20355421
