What are the symptoms of advanced pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is a common malignant tumor disease that poses a great threat to people's health. Obvious clinical symptoms generally occur in the late stage. The symptoms are as follows:

1. Jaundice. Many patients with advanced pancreatic cancer will experience jaundice, and occasionally some patients with early pancreatic cancer will also have this symptom. Obstructive jaundice is the most prominent manifestation of pancreatic head cancer, with an incidence of more than 90%. In the early stage, the pancreatic body and tail may not have jaundice. Jaundice is usually persistent and progressively deepens. In case of complete obstruction, the stool may be clay-colored, the skin may be brown or bronze-colored, and it may be accompanied by itching.

2. Weight loss: Once pancreatic cancer develops to the late stage, 90% of patients will often experience obvious weight loss, which is characterized by rapid development and is related to lack of pancreatic juice and bile, poor digestion and absorption function, poor appetite, sleep, heavy mental burden and direct effects of cancer cells.

3. Abdominal pain. Upper abdominal discomfort and dull pain are the most common first symptoms of advanced pancreatic cancer. The location of the abdominal pain is unclear and the range is wide. The typical location of abdominal pain is the middle upper abdomen and left hypochondrium, which can radiate to the back, chest, and right scapula. It can manifest as dull pain, heavy tenderness, gnawing pain, etc., which is often persistent and worsens after meals.

To sum up, even if pancreatic cancer reaches the late stage, don’t panic. As long as it is treated actively, it will effectively prolong your life.