According to WebMD, Pancreatic cancer is the fourth deadliest cancer in the world. Because this cancer is hard to detect and treat, the survival rate is extremely low, with an average of six percent of patients surviving past five years. Knowing the symptoms of the disease are an important part of early detection and can give patients the most optimistic prognosis.
- Diabetes – If you have been recently diagnosed with diabetes without any previous risk factors, you might want consider a pancreatic screening. Nearly half (40%) of pancreatic cancer patients were diagnosed with diabetes within the past two years.
- Itching in the hands and feet – Often when a pancreatic tumor forms, it blocks the bile duct. This causes bile to start building up in other areas of the body making it very difficult to break down. The accumulation of bile can create persistent itching in the hands and feet.
- Jaundice – Because bile has a bright yellow pigment, when there is too much present in the body, it can cause both the skin and the whites of the eyes to take on a bright yellow hue.
- Appetite issues – A sudden decrease in appetite or the tendency to feel full after a small meal can be a symptom of pancreatic cancer. This is because issues with the pancreas cause a decrease in digestive enzymes. In addition, the way certain foods taste can also change, with patients suddenly having taste aversions to their once favorite foods.
- Change in bowel habits – Because pancreatic tumors can prevent digestive enzymes from reaching the intestines, the body might have a hard time digesting fatty foods. This results in loose stools that are very foul smelling. This is an often overlooked clue but could help in early detection.
- Gallbladder issues – Bile duct blockages can cause the gallbladder to enlarge a bile builds up behind the duct.
- Abdominal pain – Aching in the gut that radiates to your back can be a sign of a pancreatic tumor. Additionally, if the pain subsides when you lean forward or gets worse after meals or when you lay down, this could point to an issue.
- Weight loss – Because you are often unable to digest food thoroughly, fat and sugar may pass through your body undigested making it difficult to keep weight on.
If you have been experience any of the above symptoms, contact your physician or Dr. Justin McCarthy immediately.
