A 40-year-old woman had heart palpitations and thought it was because she worked out too hard. She was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. (2023)

FAQs

What is the most common first symptom of pancreatic cancer? ›

When symptoms of a pancreatic tumor first appear, they most commonly include jaundice, or a yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes, which is caused by an excess of bilirubin—a dark, yellow-brown substance made by the liver. Sudden weight loss is also a common early warning sign of pancreatic cancer.

Your healthcare provider might suspect pancreatic cancer if you've recently developed diabetes or pancreatitis — a painful condition due to inflammation in your pancreas. Symptoms of pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer may be different from traditional pancreatic cancer symptoms, such as jaundice or weight loss.

Main symptoms of pancreatic cancer

the whites of your eyes or your skin turn yellow (jaundice), and you may also have itchy skin, darker pee and paler poo than usual. loss of appetite or losing weight without trying to. feeling tired or having no energy. a high temperature, or feeling hot or shivery.

People describe it as a dull pain that feels like it is boring into you. It can begin in the tummy area and spread around to the back. The pain is worse when you lie down and is better if you sit forward. It can be worse after meals.

Age : Most cases of pancreatic cancer develop between the ages of 60 and 80 years. Gender : Pancreatic cancer is more common in men than in women. Race : African Americans have higher incidences of pancreatic cancer than whites, Asians or Hispanics.

According to the American Cancer Society, lung cancer — and lung cancer caused by asbestos — is the number one killer, with 131,880 estimated deaths in 2022 alone, making it three times deadlier than breast cancer.

Would a colonoscopy show pancreatic cancer? ›

Can colonoscopy detect pancreatic cancer? Due to the position of the pancreas in your body, doctors cannot use a colonoscopy to detect pancreatic cancer. A colonoscopy is another type of imaging procedure that uses a small camera on a scope inside the body.

The rash is called necrolytic migratory erythema and can be itchy or painful. It usually begins in parts of your body with creases — most commonly your groin area — and will spread from there. It looks red and blotchy, with dry, crusty, white, or yellow patches.

Typically, it takes 10-20 years for pancreatic cancer to develop in a patient. Even in an animal model, the process is several months long. This pancreatic tumor model condenses cancer development to just two weeks. “We can observe what happens over a long period of time.

Itching can occur in cases where the pancreatic tumor blocks the body's bile duct. The bile duct contains bile, an alkaline fluid secreted by the liver, that aids in the absorption of nutrients (including vitamins) and ultimately the removal of waste.

Constant pain in your upper belly that radiates to your back. This pain may be disabling. Diarrhea and weight loss because your pancreas isn't releasing enough enzymes to break down food. Upset stomach and vomiting.

People with acute pancreatitis often look ill and have a fever, nausea, vomiting, and sweating. Other symptoms that may occur with this disease include: Clay-colored stools. Bloating and fullness.

Ovarian cancer is hard to detect in its early stages due to its vague symptoms. Women may experience constipation, bloating, early satiety after eating and back pain.

It's because of this location, surrounded and obscured by internal organs, that pancreatic tumors are impossible to see or feel during a routine medical exam. Making diagnosis even more difficult is the fact that in its early stages, pancreatic cancer is usually a so-called “silent” disease and causes no symptoms.

Introduction: National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines recommend chest x-ray or chest computed tomography (CT) for the staging of potential resectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDA).

What are scary symptoms of pancreatic cancer? ›

Symptoms include jaundice (yellowing of skin and whites of the eyes), light-colored stools, dark urine, pain in the upper or middle abdomen and or back, unexplained weight loss, feeling tired, and poor appetite.

Pancreatic cancer may cause only vague unexplained symptoms. Pain (usually in the abdomen or back), weight loss, jaundice (yellowing of the skin and/or eyes) with or without itching, loss of appetite, nausea, change in stool, pancreatitis and recent-onset diabetes are symptoms that may indicate pancreatic cancer.

When signs and symptoms do appear, they may include unintentional weight loss, loss of appetite, upper abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, general weakness and fatigue, abdominal swelling, jaundice where your eyes and skin turn yellow, and white, chalky stools.

Common early warning signs for liver cancer

Pain in the upper abdomen on the right side or near the right shoulder blade that tends to remain consistent and does not come and go. Abdominal swelling (ascites) or bloating in the abdomen that develops as a mass.

Stomach and Back Pain

A common symptom of pancreatic cancer is a dull pain in the upper abdomen (belly) and/or middle or upper back that comes and goes.

The head of the pancreas is on the right side of the abdomen and is connected to the duodenum (the first section of the small intestine) through a small tube called the pancreatic duct. The narrow end of the pancreas, called the tail, extends to the left side of the body.

The risk of developing pancreatic cancer increases with age. Most people who develop pancreatic cancer are older than 45. In fact, 90% are older than 55 and 70% are older than 65. However, adults of any age can be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, as can children rarely.

It is most often caused by long term drinking of alcohol. There is a link between having chronic pancreatitis and developing pancreatic cancer. Rarely, pancreatitis can also run in families (hereditary pancreatitis). It accounts for about 1 in 100 cases (about 1%) of pancreatitis.

Is pancreatic cancer a horrible death? ›

About 95% of people with pancreatic cancer die from it, experts say. It's so lethal because during the early stages, when the tumor would be most treatable, there are usually no symptoms.

The Fastest Killing Cancer

If defining "fastest-killing" cancer is based on which cancer has the worst 5-year relative survival rate, then it would be a tie between pancreatic cancer and malignant mesothelioma (a relatively rare cancer in the U.S. with about 3,000 cases a year).

Which Type of Cancer Spreads the Fastest? The fastest-moving cancers are pancreatic, brain, esophageal, liver, and skin. Pancreatic cancer is one of the most dangerous types of cancer because it's fast-moving and there's no method of early detection.

Brain and pancreatic cancers have much lower median survival rates which have not improved as dramatically over the last forty years. Indeed, pancreatic cancer has one of the worst survival rates of all cancers. Small cell lung cancer has a five-year survival rate of 4% according to Cancer Centers of America's Website.

Blood tests.

Certain substances, such as carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and CA 19-9, are elevated in people with pancreatic cancer. However, blood tests don't allow for early detection of pancreatic cancer, because these levels may not rise until pancreatic cancer is advanced, if at all.

If you have pancreatic cancer, you may have different types of diarrhea. Some people may have clay-coloured stools if the bile duct is blocked. Some people may have floating stools when the pancreas doesn't make enough enzymes that help the intestines digest food and absorb nutrients.

Ultrasonography has been reported in some studies to have a sensitivity of 94 percent in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. However, other studies suggest a sensitivity of no better than 70 percent.

Sometimes symptoms affect specific areas of the body, such as our tummy or skin. But signs can also be more general, and include weight loss, tiredness (fatigue) or unexplained pain. Some possible signs of cancer, like a lump, are better known than others.

Itching associated with liver disease tends to be worse in the late evening and during the night. Some people may itch in one area, such as a limb, the soles of their feet, or the palms of their hands, while others experience an all-over itch.

What does an itchy back have to do with cancer? ›

The good news is that itchy skin is typically not a sign of cancer. This symptom may occur because of complications of the disease, and itchy, flaky skin and rashes are common side effects of some cancer drugs.

Early-stage pancreatic cancer is usually found if the location of the cancer causes symptoms early or if testing for unrelated medical conditions shows signs of the disease. But most pancreatic cancer patients are diagnosed at stage IV.

Pancreatic cancer may cause only vague unexplained symptoms. Pain (usually in the abdomen or back), weight loss, jaundice (yellowing of the skin and/or eyes) with or without itching, loss of appetite, nausea, change in stool, pancreatitis and recent-onset diabetes are symptoms that may indicate pancreatic cancer.

Other diagnoses that can mimic pancreatic cancer include other malignancies, benign tumors, chronic pancreatitis and autoimmune pancreatitis. Chronic pancreatitis can cause the abdominal pain, pancreatic dysfunction and strictures seen in pancreatic cancer. Imaging typically helps to further evaluate this possibility.

Most people who develop pancreatic cancer are older than 45. In fact, 90% are older than 55 and 70% are older than 65. However, adults of any age can be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, as can children rarely.

Blood tests.

Certain substances, such as carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and CA 19-9, are elevated in people with pancreatic cancer. However, blood tests don't allow for early detection of pancreatic cancer, because these levels may not rise until pancreatic cancer is advanced, if at all.

Potentially Curable If Caught Very Early

Up to 10 percent of patients who receive an early diagnosis become disease-free after treatment. For patients who are diagnosed before the tumor grows much or spreads, the average pancreatic cancer survival time is 3 to 3.5 years.

A hypochondriac, someone who has illness anxiety disorder, focuses on physical sensations and worries excessively that they have a serious or life-threatening illness. For example, they may worry that any kind of headache is a brain tumor.

It's because of this location, surrounded and obscured by internal organs, that pancreatic tumors are impossible to see or feel during a routine medical exam. Making diagnosis even more difficult is the fact that in its early stages, pancreatic cancer is usually a so-called “silent” disease and causes no symptoms.

As pancreatic cancer blocks the 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.

What two major symptoms would you experience if you don t have a pancreas? ›

Jaundice, a disease that may affect people with pancreatic cancer, can cause severe itching. "Uncomfortable and chronic itchy skin is one of the major clinical signs of pancreatic cancer where a patient later notices a skin colour change.

Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) is difficult to diagnose. Often, it doesn't cause any symptoms. Symptoms and signs of type 1 AIP are similar to those of pancreatic cancer.

Imaging tests that create pictures of your internal organs.

Techniques used to diagnose pancreatic cancer include ultrasound, computerized tomography (CT) scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and, sometimes, positron emission tomography (PET) scans.