Easy-to-ignore symptoms of the illness are described by a pancreatic Cancer UK expert nurse.
You could assume you only have a stomach bug if you have indigestion, a stomachache, are possibly off your meal, and feel somewhat ill. Even while pancreatic cancer, the fifth-leading cause of cancer death in the UK, is the most likely cause even though it is by far the least likely.
Because the disease’s symptoms frequently resemble those of other, far more benign disorders, over 10,500 people in the UK are diagnosed with it each year. As a result, many people delay seeking medical attention until the cancer is much more advanced and challenging to treat.
According to Pancreatic Cancer UK, pancreatic cancer is the deadliest common cancer since more than half of those who are diagnosed with it pass away within three months (PCUK, pancreatic cancer.org.uk).
The majority of cases are discovered after the cancer is well advanced, according to PCUK expert nurse Jeni Jones, as the symptoms frequently coincide with other illnesses including indigestion and irritable bowel syndrome. You should consult a GP if a problem persists since it may indicate an early diagnosis.
1. Discomfort
Pancreatic cancer can frequently manifest as indigestion and/or heartburn, which most people wouldn’t immediately associate with a serious illness.
According to Jones, persistent indigestion is frequently treated with over-the-counter medications rather than immediately requiring a trip to the doctor. However, there are occasions when it may coincide with other symptoms like back or stomach discomfort and a number of minor issues that might indicate pancreatic cancer.
2. Back or stomach pain
According to Jones, this might range from a mild discomfort to agony that travels from your stomach to your back. If you’re a woman, it can be at your bra line, according to her. The discomfort is frequently felt between the shoulder blades and is not lower back pain. It doesn’t usually go away easily and could get worse after eating.
She claims that although back and stomach discomfort together is a typical complaint, some people only experience one or the other.
3. An unexpected loss of weight
When people aren’t actively attempting to lose weight and are eating properly, weight loss related to pancreatic cancer may initially be seen. They could just notice that their clothing is becoming looser, according to Jones.
4. Loss of appetite
Of course, appetite loss, another first easily-ignored pancreatic cancer symptom, can occasionally be linked to weight loss. According to Jones, these appetite changes may be caused by the tumour pressing on the stomach or simply reducing one’s ability to eat. “It can range from people thinking they’re not really that hungry, to having no appetite at all and not being able to face food, or feeling full after very little food,” she says.
5.Jaundice
The less obvious pancreatic cancer sign of jaundice only often affects persons whose tumour is located around the pancreatic head, according to Jones. Jaundice is a highly common symptom of pancreatic cancer, however not all patients have it. It’s a red flag sign that you can pick up on when the whites of your eyes begin to become somewhat yellow before your skin begins to tan.
6. Scratching
Because bile salts accumulate beneath the skin first, you may experience severe itching before you have jaundice. It itches like crazy, says Jones. “I’m not talking about a small scratch; you’d be scratching like crazy.”
7. Modifications in bowel habits
Jones emphasises, “This is a very, very significant one because there are many, many reasons of diarrhoea, but this is what we call steatorrhea – when there is fat present in the stool, which causes it to turn yellow, as occurs with jaundice. There is definitely something wrong with the digestive tract when this oily, yellowish poop doesn’t wash away.
8. Diabetes was only discovered
Because pancreatic cancer can prevent the pancreas from making enough insulin, which can induce diabetes, Jones cautions that a very tiny percentage of persons with recently diagnosed diabetes may also have the disease. According to her, it should be a warning sign for your doctor to consider if you need a scan to examine your pancreas if you exhibit any of the signs of pancreatic cancer and are suddenly diagnosed with diabetes.
9. Retching
Another pancreatic cancer symptom is feeling or being ill, but, as she emphasises, “Sometimes patients might vomit, but that’s not as often as feeling unwell.”
10. Blood clots
Blood clots, according to Jones, are a rare indication of pancreatic cancer and may be observed in individuals who, for example, are younger and non-smokers and so would not generally be at risk of clotting.
They could exhibit symptoms like shortness of breath or swollen legs and discover after a scan that they have pancreatic cancer. Clots are a sign that might be indicating that there is an underlying issue, even though it is uncommon.
11. Exhaustion
Of course, there are many different reasons why someone could feel tired, but Jones cautions that if you also have other symptoms, it may also be a sign of pancreatic cancer. “It might be another pancreatic cancer sign if you rest but can’t recharge your batteries, along with some of the other symptoms, like chronic discomfort or steatorrhea, which physically exhaust a person.”
12. Feeling ill, having a fever, and shivering
Although unusual, these pancreatic cancer symptoms are not unheard of and might be caused by the disease itself or even an infection connected to jaundice, according to Jones, both of which require rapid medical treatment.
13. Food swallowing issues
According to Jones, pancreatic cancer does not actually cause problems with the oseophagus; rather, it may just make swallowing feel abnormal. Because the cancer can make a person feel full, she explains, “even though they think the problem is with their swallowing, it’s often the fact that they’re just not able to fit the food in.”
14. Anxiety and depression
According to Jones, pancreatic cancer frequently presents with symptoms of worry and depression with no apparent explanation. She adds, “Low mood might go hand-in-hand with pain and weariness, but it’s probably not anything that would make you think you probably have pancreatic cancer. Once more, it’s important to see these issues holistically rather than alone.
