Pancreatic cancer often goes undetected until it's advanced and difficult to treat. In the vast majority of cases, symptoms only develop after pancreatic cancer has grown and begun to spread.

Because more than 95% of pancreatic cancer is the exocrine type, we'll describe those symptoms first, followed by symptoms of rare forms of pancreatic cancer.

 

Initially, pancreatic cancer tends to be silent and painless as it grows. By the time it's large enough to cause symptoms, pancreatic cancer has generally grown outside the pancreas. Because of the location of the pancreas in the body, symptoms include:

• Jaundice. As pancreatic cancer blocks duct that releases bile into the intestine (common bile duct), the ingredients of bile build up in the blood. This turns the skin and the eyes yellow, a condition called jaundice. The same blockage causes dark urine, light colored stools, and itching.
• Abdominal pain. Pancreatic cancer can cause a dull ache in the upper abdomen radiating to the back. The pain may come and go.
• Back pain.
• Bloating. Some people with pancreatic cancer have a sense of early fullness with meals (satiety) or an uncomfortable swelling in the abdomen.
• Nausea.
• Dark-colored urine: This sign may appear before it is visible on the skin. When the concentration of bilirubin in the blood increases, urine will turn brown.
• Clay- or light-colored stools: Usually, bilisurin is a stool that helps brown in color, but when they are clogged in the bile ducts, they may turn a lighter or grayish color. In addition, when bile and pancreatic enzymes are unable to enter the intestine to break down fat, the stool becomes oily.
• Itching all over: Accumulation of bilisurin is also the cause of itching. However, pancreatic cancer is not the most common cause of jaundice, it can also be a sign of gallstones, hepatitis, other liver and bile duct diseases.
• Weight loss with no known cause and loss of appetite. Sudden weight loss when the person is not on a diet or exercise (losing over 4.5 kg in 1 month) is a sign of many cancers, including pancreatic cancer. In addition to unexplained weight loss, people with pancreatic cancer also experience symptoms of poor or loss of appetite.
• Vomiting. When pancreatic cancer develops against the stomach, food does not flow, causing nausea, vomiting, pain and getting worse over time.
• Blood clots. In some cases, the first clue to detect pancreatic cancer is large venous blood clots, also known as deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, which usually appears in the legs. This phenomenon causes symptoms of pain, swelling, redness and heat in the feet. Occasionally, a fragment of a clot can burst to the lungs, leading to shortness of breath, chest pain, called pulmonary embolism or PE.
• Diabetes. Pancreatic cancer can cause diabetes with the symptoms of feeling thirsty, hungry, frequent urination because the disease destroys insulin-producing cells. However, this is a rare symptom of pancreatic cancer, in some cases, the disease only changes blood sugar, does not form diabetes and can be detected through blood tests.

When you have any of the above signs, don't hesitate to go to the hospital for a checkup or screening every year because the symptoms of pancreatic cancer are sometimes unclear, until the symptoms clear up. Severe periods are more difficult to treat, low chance of living, and high cost of treatment.

Abdominal pain that gradually worsens, increases after eating or when lying down. 

Get expert advice and care

Dr. Nguyen Van Khoa recommends that, as a precaution, it is advisable to limit fast food, limit grease, and moderate alcohol consumption. For obese people, they should have exercise regimen, set up a scientific menu to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables to ensure a healthy body.

Understanding when symptoms are a sign of something serious and either diagnosing the disease or confirming a previous diagnosis require expertise from specialists trained and experienced in treating pancreatic cancer. At City International Hospital, our pancreatic cancer experts diagnose and treat all stages of the disease. 

View more Executive Screening Packages at City International Hospital (CIH)

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us: 

City International Hospital

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