What are the danger signs of advanced pancreatic cancer

What are the danger signs of pancreatic cancer in late stage? Pancreatic cancer is the most dangerous malignant tumor that endangers human life and health. The disease is more common in middle-aged and elderly people, with high mortality and poor prognosis. Since the diagnosis rate of the disease is very low in the early stage, once the disease is discovered, it has mostly developed to the middle and late stages. So, what are the danger signs of pancreatic cancer in late stage?

1. Jaundice: It is an important symptom of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, and 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 progressive. 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: Significant weight loss is a common symptom of advanced pancreatic cancer. 90% of patients experience weight loss, which is characterized by rapid progression. It is considered to be 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 is the middle upper abdomen and left hypochondrium, and it can radiate to the back, chest, and right scapula. The abdominal pain can manifest as dull pain, heavy tenderness, gnawing pain, etc., which is mostly persistent and can be aggravated after meals.

4. Digestive tract symptoms: fatigue and loss of appetite are very common, and may be accompanied by gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea, constipation, abdominal distension, and nausea. Some cases may experience steatorrhea, high blood sugar, and diabetes. People who do not like fatty dishes may also experience fatty diarrhea, which is a symptom of diarrhea in which fat is not digested but mixed with feces and excreted.

5. Neurological symptoms: Some patients may experience anxiety, depression, insomnia, personality changes, etc.

6. Fever: At least 10% of patients experience fever during the course of the disease. Late-stage pancreatic cancer may present with low-grade fever, high-grade fever, intermittent fever, or irregular fever, which may be caused by the pyrogen released by the cancer cells themselves or secondary biliary infection.

Experts believe that pancreatic cancer is approaching the throne of "cancer king". It often takes only a few months for patients to die from the onset of the disease, and the mortality rate is the highest among common cancers. In general, different patients with advanced pancreatic cancer will have different symptoms before death. This can only be known by comprehensively considering which organs and aspects of the body's balance the cancer has destroyed. Therefore, different patients with advanced pancreatic cancer will have different symptoms before death.