What Are the Symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer?
Early pancreatic cancer usually causes few symptoms, most of which are vague. Because signs and symptoms of most pancreatic cancer may be mistaken for less serious digestive problems, pancreatic cancer is rarely detected before it’s spread to nearby tissues or distant organs via your bloodstream or lymphatic system. Symptoms that may include:
- Significant weight loss accompanied by abdominal pain (the most likely warning signs)
- Vague but gradually worsening belly pain that may feel better when you lean forward and feel worse when lying down — Pain is often worst at night and may spread to your lower back
- Digestive or bowel complaints such as diarrhea, constipation, gas pains, bloating, or burping
- Feeling sick or throwing up
- Not feeling hungry
- Jaundice, which is painless, yellowish discoloration of your skin and eye whites, and may include very dark urine and light-colored poop
- Sudden onset of glucose tolerance disorder, such as diabetes
- Black or bloody poop
- Overall weakness
- Enlarged liver and gallbladder
- Itching
- Blood clots in your legs
- Mental status changes, such as feeling depressed out of nowhere
A few rare types of pancreatic cancer cause hormonal imbalances that cause their own symptoms, which might include:
- Episodes of weakness, sweating, rapid heartbeat, irritability, or skin flushing related to low blood sugar
- Severe watery diarrhea
- A new, unusual skin rash
- Severe gastrointestinal symptoms, such as stomach pain and watery diarrhea, which don’t respond to antacids or ulcer medications
If you have any of these symptoms, call your doctor for a full physical exam.
