Early Symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer

Last September, I lost a friend to pancreatic cancer--the same condition that claimed my grandfather a few years before I was born. Although she faced this horrific disease with grace and bravery--extending her life by nearly a year beyond her initial prognosis--it ended her life just days before her thirty-first birthday.

Like most cases of pancreatic cancer, my friend's wasn't detected until the late stages. Pancreatic cancer is often symptomless until it has already spread, or metastatized, to essential organs such as the liver. This makes it one of the most deadly forms of cancer in the U.S. For this reason, it is essential to be wary of the early symptoms associated with pancreatic cancer.

Here are some of the most common early symptoms of pancreatic cancer.

Abdominal Pain

My late friend mistook her early pancreatic cancer symptoms for indigestion. One of the early symptoms of the condition is pain in the upper abdomen, possibly radiating to the back and mid-abdomen. This pain occurs when cancerous cells in the pancreas place pressure on the surrounding organs and tissues. It gets worse as the disease progresses, but may start as minor upper abdominal pressure.

Unexplained Weight Loss

Pancreatic cancer can cause a sudden, rapid loss of weight. Any time that you lose weight without meaning to--no matter how much you like this change in your weight--be sure to contact a physician promptly. It is perfectly normal to lose weight when you increase your calorie expenditure or decrease your calorie intake, but weight loss with no change in lifestyle can be a symptom of pancreatic cancer. In other cases, pancreatic cancer may lead to a decrease in appetite. These symptoms may also point to other conditions, including thyroid disease, digestive disease, and other forms of cancer.

Jaundice

Jaundice is one of the most obvious early symptoms of pancreatic cancer. It is the symptom that clued both my friend and my grandfather in on the fact that something was very wrong. Jaundice is a yellow or orange discoloration of the skin. It occurs when pancreatic cancer spreads to the liver, disrupting its function and increasing the amount of bile in the bloodstream. Contact a doctor immediately if you notice any yellow discoloration, particularly in the whites of your eyes. Jaundice is often the first sign of serious medical conditions, including pancreatic cancer.

Blood Clots

Blood clots have several potential causes, and they require medical evaluation under all circumstances. In some cases, recurrent blood clots may be an early symptom of pancreatic cancer. If you have any symptoms of blood clots, contact your primary care provider for treatment. In the event that pancreatic cancer is an underlying cause, prompt treatment can maximize your chances of survival.

Click here to find out more about the early symptoms of pancreatic cancer through the Mayo Clinic website.