A list of 22 symptoms of pancreatic cancer has just been published. Be careful, not all of them are specific to the disease and may also only correspond to benign conditions.
- In 10 to 20% of pancreatic cancers, it is possible to remove the tumor by surgery with the aim of curing the disease.
- If the tumor is inoperable, chemotherapy can slow the development of the disease, relieve symptoms and improve patients’ quality of life.
In 2018, there were 14,184 new cases of pancreatic cancer in France, including 51% in men according to theNational Cancer Institute. It is the 9th most common cancer in men and the 7th in women. This disease infects the cells of the pancreas. Over time and if no treatment is carried out, the cancerous cells multiply in an anarchic way. These can also detach from the tumor and reach other parts of the body such as the lymph nodes, the liver or the peritoneum, the membrane that surrounds the stomach.
Pancreatic cancer detected too late
According to the website of Vidala French medical book for healthcare professionals, 80% to 90% of pancreatic cancers are diagnosed at a late stage because they remain symptomless for a long time. But scientists have just published a study in which they have precisely listed twenty-two unknown symptoms of this cancer. Their work has been published in the journal British Journal of General Practice.
Feeling thirsty and dark urine, two symptoms of pancreatic cancer
To achieve these results, the scientists analyzed data from 24,236 patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in England between 2000 and 2017. They were able to compare their different symptoms one year before the disease was diagnosed. Among this long list, two seemed particularly intriguing to them: the feeling of thirst and dark urine.
20 other symptoms of pancreatic cancer
Other symptoms are: yellowing of the skin, bleeding in the stomach or intestine, swallowing problems, diarrhea, change in bowel habits, vomiting, indigestion, a “lump” or abdominal swelling, abdominal pain, weight loss, constipation, fatty stools, nausea, flatulence, heartburn, fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, itching and, finally, back pain.
Symptoms not specific to pancreatic cancer
Most of these symptoms appeared a year before the patients were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. But don’t be scared if you experience one or more of these as they are obviously not specific to pancreatic cancer and therefore are not necessarily a sign of anything serious. Currently, there is no cure for pancreatic cancer. It is usually diagnosed at an advanced age, around the age of 75 in men and 80 in women.
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