Signs and Symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer

            I was asked to provide a chart stating the percentage of pancreatic cancer signs and symptoms but, really, the only thing I could find was that 80% of patients experience pain and about 50% present with jaundice (though most will eventually get jaundice if left untreated). Those 2 statistics do not make a compelling (or interesting) chart.

            This list (and the image below) is from Healthy-With-Cancer.com and she put together a group of signs/ symptoms in general…

·  Dark urine- A tumor in your pancreas, might cause pressure upon the bladder which affects how your urine flow and also could indicate toxins in the urine too from the cancer by-products.

·  Light stool color.

·  Itching on skin, palms, soles of feet

·  Nausea- Difference of pancreatic cancer symptoms in women than men?  Nope, but other pancreas problems and colon and stomach problems can cause nausea too.

·  Vomiting- This is one pancreatic cancer symptoms in women that likely won't be different than in men. Vomiting could also be from chronic pancreas infections or inflammation.

·  Abdominal pain that goes away when bending forward. If a tumor is in your pancreas the pain will go away as the pressure from a tumor lessons when bending forward.

·  Back pain- Is it pain from pancreatic cancer pain? Deep aches that come and go but are very deep and profound and can also be from other chronic pancreas inflammation and dis-ease.

·  Fatigue-  Fatigue is common with many cancers, but many later stage cancers have fatigue as symptom.

           You should note that these are very general maladies that anyone could experience at any time for reasons far less dire than [any] cancer. The trick is getting seen by your physician early to get it in the books that you have been dealing with these symptoms. Your insurance likely won't allow a CT scan based on this list but if it's consistent and noted as consistent they may relent. Your body tells you when something isn't right and you should listen. If it seems like the doctor is saying it's nothing and you 'know' it's something, keep going back, find a new doctor, be relentless. There is a lot to be said for that little gut feeling that tells you whatever remedy you were given isn't going to work for this.