Symptoms of pancreatic cancer tend to only appear once the cancer has grown, which makes spotting symptoms as early as possible vital.
Dr Shounak Majumder is a medical pancreatologist who conducts research focusing on developing molecular biomarkers and other novel approaches for early detection of the disease.
Appearing on Pancreatic Cancer Action Network’s TikTok, he shared abdominal pain is the most commonly reported symptom of the disease. He said: “It is typically in the upper part of the abdomen and may radiate to the side or the back.
“Some patients will present with back pain only in which case the pain is localised to the mid back and not the lower back. Pain may be intermittent or constant and is often worse with eating.”
Other symptoms such as nausea and bloating often accompany the pain, added Dr Majumder, and many patients report a recent onset of digestive problems several months prior to the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.
He continued: “The symptoms often progress in a gradual subtle way and do not manifest as an abrupt acute change.”
Although these symptoms can be caused by a wide range of gastrointestinal diseases, said Dr Majumder, a prompt diagnostic evaluation is warranted if the symptoms persist, especially in high risk individuals, such as those with an extensive family history of pancreatic cancer or an underlying abnormality that increases pancreatic cancer risk.
Other symptoms to look out for
Other symptoms of pancreatic cancer are listed by the NHS as:
- the whites of your eyes or your skin turn yellow (jaundice), and you may also have itchy skin, darker pee and paler poo than usual
- loss of appetite or losing weight without trying to
- feeling tired or having no energy
- a high temperature, or feeling hot or shivery
The health body advises: “If you have another condition like irritable bowel syndrome, you may get symptoms like these regularly.
“You might find you get used to them. But it’s important to be checked by a GP if your symptoms change, get worse or do not feel normal for you.”