The pancreas is a flatly structured gland that lies in the abdomen, below the left subcostal margin, back between the spine and stomach, near the opening of the small intestine. It cannot be felt or seen therefore regarded as the hard working body organ.
This elongated, flat gland provides two key functions that are endocrine function and exocrine function. The endocrine function of pancreas includes releasing hormones named glucagon and insulin which help out in regulating metabolism and sugar level within the blood. The exocrine function includes secreting certain enzymes for digestion in the duodenum (which is the first part of small intestines).
These enzymes play a pivotal role in the digestion of food. Thus, enzymes are actually the digestive juices that are produced by exocrine cells of the pancreas. This is the actual location where approximately 95 percent of total pancreatic cancers start. American Cancer Society researched that this disease has a proportion of about 3 percent against all cancers’ ratio as well as approximately 7 percent against deaths of all other cancers.
The risk of pancreatic cancer goes high as one aged. American Cancer Society further studied and found that nearly two-third patients of pancreatic cancer are no less than 65 years and an average age on diagnosis time is about 71. The NCI (National Cancer Institute) examined that about just 8.2 percent of total pancreatic cancer patients can survive for about five years.
The pancreas lies deep inside a body and pancreatic cancer usually does not provide any symptoms and signs during early stages. Moreover, it is also hard to detect this early tumor through standard physical examination. As pancreatic cancer starts to grow, it begins to cause warning symptoms or signs. However, these signs or symptoms may vary for each individual to some extent. Even then, The National Cancer Institute advises to consult with the doctor if somebody has any of these 12 signs or symptoms which are described in the following:
Jaundice
The most important warning sign of pancreatic cancer is jaundice. However, many other diseases like hepatitis, gallstones and other bile duct and liver disorders also cause jaundice. But if jaundice occurs in combination with some of the following symptoms then it is regarded as a warning sign of pancreatic cancer. For most of the people, jaundice appears as one of the first symptoms of pancreatic cancer. Jaundice is basically a yellowing of skin and eyes. Jaundice occurs by a build-up of the bilirubin which is a dark yellowish-brown substance produce within the liver. Generally, bile is produced by the liver in the form of liquid as part of bilirubin excretion. Bile reaches in the intestine through the bile duct and helps to break down the fats particles of food. Eventually, it excreted out from the body through the stool.
When a blockage occurs in a bile duct, bile does not reach to the intestine. As a result, the bilirubin level builds up into the body. Cancers are usually started in a pancreatic head that found near bile duct. At the first stage of development, although these cancerous cells are very small, they started to grow either on the tail or head of the pancreas. Firstly, they do not put pressure over the duct until they spread beyond the pancreas. After some development, the cancer cell presses or put pressure over the bile duct. By the time, cancer often spread beyond pancreas and spread towards the liver surface which ultimately causes jaundice.
Dark Urine and Greasy Stools
The increased levels of bilirubin within the blood cause the urine color to turn brown. The darker urine is usually the first symptom which warns about jaundice. Bilirubin helps to give stools the brown color.
Since when a blockage occurs to the bile, stools may show pale or gray color. Pancreatic cancer also makes this thing difficult for an intestine to break down contents of fats, thus stools become greasy or lubricious and float into the toilet.
Gallbladder or Liver Enlargement
When cancerous cells blockage a bile duct then bile do not get a way for excretion. As a result bile content build-up within the gall-bladder, causing swelling and makes it become larger. A physician can easily detect it through examination because it appears in the form of a large lump in right lower part of a ribcage.
However, further imaging tests can confirm its presence. In some cases, pancreatic cancer involves the liver, particularly if cancer spread towards the liver. This can also be detected by a doctor through examination under the right side of the ribcage.
Blood Clots or Abnormal Fatty Tissues
In some case, a blood clot can become a warning sign for pancreatic cancer which usually occurs in the large vein or most often into the leg. It is called deep vein thrombosis. The signs of deep thrombosis vein include redness, warmth, swelling, and pain into an infected leg. This clot formation does not only happen within the leg but also to other parts of the body. Sometimes a clot from build-up portion breaks out and travels towards lungs that make it harder to breather as well as cause severe chest pain. This type of blood clot that travels to the lungs and cause severe respiratory problems is termed as pulmonary embolism.
Some individuals with pancreatic tumors develop a rough texture of some fatty tissues under the skin. It is caused due to a release of a pancreatic enzyme which digests fat content.
Belly & Back Pain
Pain in the abdomen that usually radiates to the back is another clue for pancreatic cancer. The American Cancer Institute suggested that cancers which start in the tail, or body of pancreas when becoming fairly large, start to put pressure over nearby organs and causes pain. It generally, starts in the form of a common discomfort, pain or tenderness within the abdomen area. This cancer also spread towards the nerves that surround pancreas and leads towards back pain. However, the belly or back pain can also be associated with a number of other diseases as well. This must be considered in relation to other warning signs when detecting pancreatic cancer as some patients may not feel pain in the case of pancreatic cancer and others can feel severe.
This factor varies for each individual, for instance; it might come as the first symptom or become more constant with time. It may become worse when lying down while sitting forward can make it better. Sometimes, it may become worse right after eating.
Diabetes
Diabetes Mellitus is a disorder that happens when the level of sugar within the blood become too high. The pancreas is responsible for the production of a hormone named insulin. It is used to control the sugar level within the blood.
When a tumor develops in pancreas it stops the production of insulin because it destroys the cells which make it. As a result, the level of sugar increases in the blood and caused diabetes. Signs or symptom of diabetes includes losing weight, feeling tired and very thirsty, and passing urine more than normal routine (particularly during the night).
Unintended Weight Loss & Digestive Problems
Loss of appetite, indigestion, and unexplained weight loss is a warning sign of pancreatic cancer. The main reason to associate these symptoms with pancreatic cancer is that pancreas play a pivotal role in the digestion of food. Indigestion of food causes burning and painful feeling within the chest and leaves an unpleasant and bitter taste in the mouth. Moreover, if a patient is aged more than sixty years and losses weight quickly along with the following symptoms, then he/she must take an appointment with a pancreatic cancer doctor.
- Feeling sick (vomiting or nausea)
- Abdomen and back pain
- Constipation (bowels’ opening problems)
- Diarrhea (watery or loose poo)
- One has been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus in the last few months
Swallowing Difficulty & Ascites
Swallowing Difficulty & Ascites (increased abdominal fluid) – Sometimes people get a problem in swallowing the food which is a clue for the pancreatic lump. They might choke or cough when they consume food. Most of the time the food come backward or a person may feel that food is stuck within the throat.
In most patients of pancreatic cancer, there is a tendency to increase the abdominal girth. This happens due to a collection of a large number of the fluid within the abdominal cavity. This state is named as ascites and sometimes also called as the malignant ascites. The right reason for this fluid accumulation is not understood completely. Yet its level and severity may vary according to individuals but it’s associated with the factor related to the presence of peritoneal or lymphatic metastases.
Pain
The fear associated with pain is considered as the major concern for most pancreatic patients. As described earlier, the abdominal pain is from one of the early signs of pancreas cancer. Pain does not happen in a particular pattern yet if one has pancreatic cancer then it may radiate or move from abdomen towards the back portion of the body.
If timely efforts are not made to control this symptom then several other negative effects in the physical and psychosocial well-being of the patients of pancreatic cancer may happen. This may also lead a patient toward unnecessary depression and anxiety.
Fatigue & Depression
Fatigue is regarded as an initial sign for pancreatic cancer, establishing even before a diagnosis occurs. Earlier or later, most of the patients of a pancreatic cancer regard fatigue a major symptom. Normally described in the form of normal energy levels’ loss and even in the form of affecting the mental processes, the fatigue in pancreatic cancer is debilitating. The fatigue causes under such circumstances are very large which includes many other causes directly linked with pancreatic cancer such as anemia, depression or anxiety, sleeplessness (possibly because of pain or other reasons) dehydration, infection and electrolyte disturbance etc.
Researches have shown that depression is from one of the most common symptoms of underlying all types of cancers. Depression can also develop before a diagnosis of cancer. It is thought that several biochemical changes within the body are linked with primary causes of cancer against the reactions to learning regarding the disease. In review studies of 2017, it is stated that the depression before a diagnosis of a pancreatic cancer is seen more common as compared to all other cancers.
Feel of Being Sick
Pancreatic cancer makes a person feel sick all the time. If an individual is more than sixty years old and has lost weight along with vomiting or nausea; he should have to get scan himself. If a tumor presses on far end over stomach this can block it partly, and making it difficult for the food to go through. It causes vomiting, pain, and nausea which turn to worse after food consumption.
Changes in Bowel Habits
Pancreatic cancers cause diarrhea and constipation (difficulties in emptying the bowels). The diarrhea conditions of pancreas patients are different that cause floaty, oily poo that is known as the steatorrhea. The poo is pale, large, and horrible and is difficult to be flush down into the toilet. The steatorrhea causes by fat content into waste material that is not digested by bile secretions. These secretions are important to digest food but are obstructed due to the formation of lump over pancreas. If a person is more than 60, losses weight as well as suffering from constipation or diarrhea then he/she must consult with a doctor.
In the end, if a person is concerned with any changes that he/she experience, then one has to talk with a doctor. The doctor asks that how often and how long one has been going through symptoms and may ask some additional questions. It is important to figure out the causes of problems when one experience above symptoms. Once a pancreas cancer is diagnosed then, relieving symptoms are the most significant part of a tumor treatment and care. This treatment may call as supportive care or palliative care. Remember to consult with healthcare practitioner regarding warning signs if you experience above-mentioned symptoms or any other new signs or changes in previous symptoms.