Unfortunately, there are few early warning signs of pancreatic cancer. By the time most people realize that they may have a health condition, the tumor has often spread, leaving a grim prognosis. Learning to recognize the early warning signs of pancreatic cancer can be vital to getting an early diagnosis.
General Symptoms
The general symptoms of pancreatic cancer include pain in the abdomen and weight loss. Occasionally, the cancer causes an overproduction of hormones in the pancreas. When this occurs, the symptoms include muscle spasms, dizziness, weakness and chills.
Diabetic Symptoms
According to the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, some patients with pancreatic cancer develop sudden onset diabetes. If the patient already suffers from diabetes, he may experience difficulty controlling his blood sugar. In fact, according to knowcancer.com, if an elderly patient with no history of diabetes suddenly develops the disease or a patient with well managed diabetes develops problems, the doctor should immediately test for pancreatic cancer.
Cancer in the Pancreas Head
According to Penn State's Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, roughly 80 percent of cancers of the pancreas develop in the head of the organ. The tumor can block the bile duct. This leads to symptoms such as jaundice, where the skin appears yellow, pain in the middle section of the back, digestive upset, itchy skin and distension of the midsection, brought on by swelling of the liver and gallbladder.
Cancer in the Pancreas Tail
The remaining 20 percent of cancers in the pancreas develop in the tail, which can prevent the spleen from draining properly. When a tumor develops in this area, the sufferer often experiences extreme pain in the abdomen that becomes worse several hours after eating, back pain and a loss of appetite. Someone with pancreatic cancer affecting the tail of the pancreas may also develop blood clots in her legs.
