Early symptoms of pancreatic cancer

Early symptoms of pancreatic cancer:

Pancreatic cancer is a highly malignant digestive tract tumor that is difficult to diagnose and treat. About 90% of pancreatic cancer is ductal adenocarcinoma that originates from the glandular duct epithelium. Pancreatic cancer is highly malignant and its symptoms are similar to those of general digestive tract diseases, which can easily delay diagnosis and treatment.

Early symptoms of pancreatic cancer:

1. Loss of appetite and weight loss

When pancreatic cancer occurs in the early stage, there will be obvious symptoms, namely loss of appetite and weight loss. In fact, this is because the tumor often blocks the excretion of pancreas and bile, thus affecting the patient's appetite and poor digestion and absorption, resulting in significant weight loss.

2. Upper abdominal discomfort and dull pain

Many cancers are painful when they occur, so in the early stages of pancreatic cancer, upper abdominal discomfort and dull pain will occur, which is a common first symptom of pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic tumors often cause obstruction of the pancreatic duct or bile duct. Abdominal pain is still a very common symptom in patients with pancreatic head cancer. As for pancreatic tail cancer, the incidence of abdominal pain is higher, and obvious upper abdominal pain and back pain may occur due to the involvement of the abdominal nerve plexus. It should be pointed out that the appearance of this symptom often indicates that the lesion has entered the late stage.

3. Abdominal mass

One thing that many people don't notice when pancreatic cancer occurs is the presence of a mass in the abdomen. In addition to obstructive jaundice, pancreatic head cancer can also cause gallbladder enlargement. The right upper abdomen can be clearly palpated. Obstructive jaundice with gallbladder often indicates a periampullary tumor, and patients with advanced pancreatic cancer may have a fixed mass in the upper abdomen.

4. Obstructive jaundice

Pancreatic head cancer is a prominent manifestation of pancreatic head cancer. If the tumor is located near the ampulla, jaundice may occur earlier, jaundice tends to persist, progressively deepen, the stool color becomes lighter or even clay-colored, and the skin jaundice becomes brown or coppery, causing itching of the skin.

5. Others

Symptoms include ascites, cachexia, liver, lung or bone metastasis.