Pancreatic cancer is a disease that starts in the pancreas, a gland inside the abdomen. The pancreas helps break down food and produce digestive enzymes. It usually doesn’t cause any symptoms until it has spread to other parts of the body.
When symptoms do occur, they can include pain in your upper abdomen that may come and go, weight loss for no known reason, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes), and dark stools.
The chance of developing pancreatic cancer varies from person to person, but most people are diagnosed when they’re 80 years old or older.
What is Pancreatic Cancer?
Pancreatic cancer occurs when abnormal cells form on the inner lining of the pancreas. These cells eventually grow larger than normal and begin to crowd out other tissue in your body’s digestive system (the pancreas produces enzymes that help digest food).
If left untreated, these tumors can grow quickly enough to damage or even completely block blood flow to your organs and muscles. This can lead to serious health problems such as heart failure due to ischemia (lack of oxygen), blood clotting, and sepsis (bacterial infection), which can be life-threatening.
According to pancreatic cancer clinical trials, there are two main types of this type of cancer: adenocarcinoma and neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). Adenocarcinomas, which account for about 90% of pancreatic cancers, start in glandular cells that line the ducts of your pancreas. The most common form is called exocrine carcinoma because it begins in exocrine cells (which produce enzymes). Exocrine carcinomas usually develop slowly over time and invade nearby organs before spreading to other parts of the body.
Importance of Early Detection
In 2016, there were more than 18 million new cases of cancer in the world—including 7 million new cases of stomach and esophageal cancers, 4.9 million new cases of colorectal cancers, and 300,000 new cases of liver cancers, and 200,000 new cases of pancreas cancers. The good news is that most people who have been diagnosed with cancer can be cured. For example, more than 90% of colorectal cancers are curable if found early. Early detection and treatment for pancreatic cancer are especially important because it usually has no symptoms until it’s too late to cure it effectively (by surgery or chemotherapy).
Symptoms
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most deadly cancers you can get, and there are a lot of symptoms you need to be aware of if you suspect that you might have it. For starters, it can cause pain in the upper abdomen or back. You may also feel pain in your side or back. But it’s not always easy to distinguish pancreatic cancer from other types of abdominal pain—so if you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, make sure to talk to your doctor right away.
Other symptoms include:
- Severe abdominal pain that’s constant or comes and goes. – Tenderness in the upper abdomen.
- Loss of appetite and weight loss (due to pain or cancer spreading).
- Nausea and vomiting, especially when associated with eating.
- Pain below your right rib cage that spreads to the back.
- Abdominal swelling, which may be visualized on a CT scan.
- Blood in your stool (poop), which can be seen on a fecal occult blood test.
- Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), which occurs when your liver fails to process bilirubin due to cancer or other causes.
- Pain that comes on suddenly (like a stabbing pain)
- Pain that doesn’t go away after eating or drinking
- Weight loss caused by loss of appetite (this can lead to dehydration)
- Feeling full even when eating very little food (this could be a sign that you have malabsorption issues)
People who are worried about their risk of developing pancreatic cancer should realize that prevention is always possible, especially when it comes to early detection. In other words, take charge of your health and schedule regular screenings to ensure you’re not suffering from any screenable illnesses, including pancreatic cancer. Addressing problems as soon as they arise is the best way to avoid the long-term consequences associated with missing symptoms. There’s nothing worse than putting off exams and checkups, even when you don’t feel like they’re necessary.
Even though pancreatic cancer is relatively rare, it can be easily overlooked. The symptoms of pancreatic cancer are also extremely vague and may be challenging to identify as indicators of the disease.
By being aware of the common causes and possible symptoms, you can ensure that you catch any problems as soon as possible and prevent them from worsening. Or, if a close friend or family member is exhibiting symptoms of pancreatic cancer, you can better assist him or her in remaining healthy until further diagnostic options become available.
If you are concerned that you or someone else is experiencing the symptoms of pancreatic cancer, it’s important to seek immediate medical attention. The earlier a diagnosis is made, the better your doctor’s chance of saving your life.