Warning Signs and Symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer

Warning Signs and Symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer
Warning signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer - The average general health articles about pancreatic cancer stated firmly that this type of cancer shows no early symptoms. Most people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer that is already in an advanced stage of the disease at the time it was caught, and the typical prognosis of death within five years. Only 4 percent of pancreatic cancer patients live more than five years. In recent years, pancreatic cancer has claimed the lives of many celebrities and public figures, including Steve Jobs, Patrick Swayze, actor, and actress Bonnie Franklin, which led many people to ask a key question, "is there any early warning signs of pancreatic cancer?"

The answer is Yes, there is. But to understand the signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer, it is very important to understand where the pancreas, and what it does. Located deep in the abdomen, the pancreas is only 4 to 6 inches long and shaped like tadpoles. In the "tail" of the pancreas are the cells that produce insulin, and this tumor usually endocrine tumors. They are easier to diagnose, but far less frequently. At the other end, the "head" of the pancreas, the cells that produce digestive enzymes, and the tumor is called exocrine tumors. This is by far the most common, and much harder to detect.

However, the idea that a pancreatic tumor is asymptomatic is somewhat of a myth.Dig deep into the journal articles and ask the patient what they remember and the result is a very long list of strange signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer to look out for. Taken one by one, these symptoms can mean many things. But if you find yourself experiencing two or three early warning signs of pancreatic cancer, call your doctor and ask for a scan. Imaging techniques such as Mri can detect pancreatic cancer sometimes, depending on the location of the tumor.

Early Warning Signs of Pancreatic Cancer

  1. Diabetes, especially if it came suddenly. Recently, the Mayo Clinic published startling research shows that 40 percent of pancreatic cancer patients who have been diagnosed with diabetes one to two years before discovering they have pancreatic tumors. Researchers believe that diabetes is caused by tumors that have never been detected. The problem is, diabetes is very common, and the majority of diabetes, pancreatic cancer, so that no doctor was trying to develop a screening tool to tell the difference. Now, they say the family history is an important clue. If you are diagnosed with diabetes that seems to come up all of a sudden and you don't have a family history of diabetes, bring this to the attention of your doctor and ask for more screening for pancreatic cancer.
  2. Yellowing of the eyes or skin. Even a small amount of pancreatic tumors can block the bile duct in the head of the pancreas, causing bile to build. This causes jaundice.
  3. Itchy skin, palms, and soles of the feet. Little-known side effects of jaundice are itchy hands and feet. This is because the skin reaction against bilirubin, liver Fawn chemical which causes jaundice.
  4. Lack of appetite. A study in Italy found that six to eight months before being diagnosed with a pancreatic tumor, the patient reported a sudden decrease their appetite and tendency to feel full after eating very little.
  5. Changes in taste. At the same time studies in Italy, some of the patients surveyed said they will suddenly lose their taste for coffee, wine, and smoking. In fact, they said, they felt "disgusted" to smell and taste of coffee and alcohol.
  6. Abdominal pain. Pancreatic cancer sufferers remember this pain as the gnawing pain, rather than sharp cramps or pain, and radiating toward the back. Hint: the characteristics of the pain is gone when you lean forward.
  7. Enlargement of the gallbladder. The Same blockage of the bile duct that causes jaundice can also cause enlargement of the gallbladder, bile accumulates in the rear channels. The good news is that the enlargement of the gallbladder can be seen on Imaging tests, and it may even be possible for a doctor to feel during a physical examination.
  8. Pale, floating, the smell of feces. If the tumor of the pancreas prevents digestive enzymes from reaching the intestine, the result is the inability to digest fatty foods. So you end up with loose, smacked of "floaters" as a result of excess fat. The doctor said the symptoms, especially, can be an early clue and too often overlooked.
  9. Dark, the bench live. Bleeding in the upper intestine causing this symptom.
  10. Sudden weight loss, unexplained. Weight loss is not always, as many people mistakenly believe, the signs of advanced cancer that has already spread to the liver. It can also occur due to a lack of pancreatic enzymes that cause fat to pass through the body undigested.

What do You do if You Are Worried About Any of These Symptoms?

Document all the symptoms, and report it to your doctor as much detail as possible. If your doctor believes you have a legitimate concern (and remember, you may have to do some convincing), tests such as ultrasound, CT scan, and endoscopy with biopsy can be used to look for tumors of the pancreas. A blood test is available now for biomarkers called CA 19-9 released by pancreatic cancer cells. Unfortunately, by the time the CA 19-9 reach detectable levels, the cancer is usually not longer in the early stages, although these tests are helpful during treatment and for detecting recurrence. Other biomarkers test, CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen), also not sensitive enough to provide early diagnosis.

While the tragic early death of Steve Jobs ' this is a hard reality of pancreatic cancer, there are also people who live a life of productive thanks to an early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. As is the case with Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who is still practicing after experiencing a small amount of pancreatic tumor surgically removed. Yes, she has a "lucky," so he said, but he also had a CT scan, which is how the tumor was discovered.

Signs and Symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer? Signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer often do not occur until the disease is advanced. When signs and symptoms appear, they may include: (a) The upper abdominal pain radiating to the back  (b) Yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes (jaundice) (c) Loss of appetite (d) Lose weight (e) Depression and (f) Blood clotting. (See also: Stage 4 Small Cell Lung Cancer Life Expectancy Without Treatment)

When to see a doctor? Meet your doctor if you experience weight loss unexplained with or without a new diagnosis of diabetes or if you have the constant fatigue, abdominal pain, jaundice, or other signs and symptoms that bother you. Many diseases and conditions other than cancer can cause signs and symptoms that are similar so that the doctor can check these conditions as well as for pancreatic cancer.

The cause: It is not clear what causes pancreatic cancer in most cases. Doctors have identified risk factors, such as smoking, increases the risk of developing cancer of the pancreas.

Understanding your pancreas: The pancreas is about 6 inches (15 cm) long and looks like a PEAR lying on its side. The pancreas secretes hormones, including insulin, which helps the body process sugars in the food you eat. And produce digestive juices to help your body digest food.

How is pancreatic cancer forms: Pancreatic cancer occurs when cells in your pancreas develop mutations in their DNA. This mutation causes the cell to grow uncontrollably and continue to live after normal cells will die. This accumulating cells may form tumors. The majority of pancreatic cancer begins in the cells that line the pancreatic ducts.This type of cancer is called adenocarcinoma of the pancreas or exocrine pancreatic cancer. It accounts for the majority of pancreatic cancer.

Rarely, cancer can form in hormone-producing cells or neuroendocrine cells of the pancreas. This is a type of cancer called an islet cell cancer, pancreatic endocrine tumors of the pancreas or neuroendocrine cancer.

The risk factors - Factors that can increase the risk of pancreatic cancer include: (a) Excess weight (b) Chronic inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) (c) Diabetes (d) A family history of a genetic syndrome that can increase the risk of cancer, including the BRCA2 gene mutation, Lynch syndrome and familial atypical Mole-malignant melanoma (FAMMM) syndrome (e) Personal or family history of pancreatic cancer and (f) Smoke.

Complications - Pancreatic cancer progresses, it can cause complications such as:
  • Weight loss. A number of factors can lead to weight loss in people with pancreatic cancer.
  • Cancer itself can cause weight loss. Nausea and vomiting caused by cancer treatment or a tumor pressing on your stomach can make it difficult to eat. Or your body may have difficulty properly processing the nutrients from food because the pancreas does not make enough digestive juices.
  • Pancreatic enzymes supplements can be recommended to aid in digestion. Try to keep your weight by adding extra calories where you can and make meal time fun and relaxing as possible.
  • Jaundice. Pancreatic cancer that is blocking the bile ducts of the liver may cause jaundice. Signs include yellow eyes and skin, dark-colored urine, and pale-colored stools. Jaundice usually occurs without any abdominal pain.
  • Your doctor may recommend that a plastic or metal tube (stent) that will be placed in the bile duct to keep it open. In some cases, the bypass may be required to create a new way to bile flow from the liver to the intestines.
  • Pain. Tumor growth will hit a nerve in your stomach, causing pain that can be severe. Pain medicine may help you feel more comfortable. Radiation therapy can help stop tumor growth while to give some help.
  • In severe cases, your doctor may recommend a procedure for injecting alcohol into nerves that control the pain in your belly (celiac Plexus block). This procedure stops the nerves sending pain signals to your brain.
  • Bowel obstruction. Pancreatic cancer that grows into or presses on the small intestine (duodenum) can block the flow from the stomach to digest food into your gut.
Your doctor can recommend a tube (stent) that will be placed in your small intestine to keep open. Or surgery may be necessary to attach your stomach into the lower point in your colon that is not blocked by cancerSee also: symptoms of prostate cancer in males