Pancreatic cancer, also known as exocrine cancer, is one of the most dangerous types of cancer. This is because in most cases, it remains undetected until the latter stages when there is little that can be done to treat it. So in order to deal with this situation, one needs to be double sure of whether it is pancreatic cancer or not – and the best way to ascertain is by watching out for the key signs and symptoms. Here are the most important you should know:
- Yellowing of the skin and eyes
A healthy liver produces bile, a substance that helps in digestion. However, if you have pancreatic cancer, your liver won’t work properly and you will get jaundice. Jaundice causes your eyes and skin to turn yellowish because bile pigments accumulate in them. This condition affects your urine as well; it becomes dark brown or orange.
- Pain in the upper abdomen or back
If you notice pain in your upper abdomen or back that doesn’t go away even after trying different remedies, it could indicate pancreatic cancer. As the tumor grows, it causes pressure on nearby organs such as stomach or spine causing pain.
- Unexplained weight loss
If you have been losing weight drastically and there seems to be no apparent reason behind it, then it could be an early sign of pancreatic cancer. In fact, this symptom often occurs in the later stages of the disease when the cancer has already spread to other organs as well.
- Nausea and vomiting
Nausea and vomiting can be due to many other health issues but if they are accompanied by jaundice, it could be a sign of pancreatic cancer. The tumour on the head of pancreas puts pressure on the bile duct causing blockage in flow of bile which leads to jaundice and further causes nausea and vomiting.
