Prognosis and Symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer

The pancreas is a large, pear-shaped gland located in the abdomen. It is responsible for helping with the digestion of food, and it produces insulin which controls the levels of glucose in the blood. The pancreas can't be felt on a medical exam because it is located behind other organs.

The typical pancreatic cancer prognosis is rather poor. During its earliest--and most treatable--stages, pancreatic cancer causes few if any symptoms. By the time symptoms first become evident, the cancer has usually grown and spread to neighboring organs. For this reason, pancreatic cancer has one of the worst survival rates of any of the cancers. According to the American Cancer Society, only twenty percent of people with pancreatic cancer will survive twelve months after diagnosis; only about four percent are still alive five years after diagnosis.

The symptoms caused by pancreatic cancer depend to a large extent on where the cancer is located in the pancreas and which other organs have been affected.

Some of the more common symptoms include:

Weight loss and loss of appetite. People with pancreatic cancer may notice that they're losing weight without trying to, or they may feel full after only a few bites.

Pain in the abdomen, stomach, or back. Patients who experience pain usually report a dull, aching sensation. It may come and go, frequently getting worse a few hours after meals or when the patient is lying down.

Jaundice. Jaundice is a yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes. In cases of pancreatic cancer, it occurs when the tumor blocks the bile duct. It is often the first clear symptom people with pancreatic cancer experience, and it is generally this symptom that sends them to the doctor for a diagnosis.

Itching. Like jaundice, itching occurs when the bile duct has been blocked. People with pancreatic cancer often complain of itching all over their bodies.

Changes in the appearance of urine or stool. Urine may become darker. The feces often becomes a pale, clay color. It may also take on an unusual smell and float rather than sink to the bottom of the toilet. This occurs due to high fat content in the stool.

Increased blood sugars. If the tumor damages the pancreas so that it can no longer produce insulin, the levels of glucose in the blood rise, and the patient becomes diabetic.

Fever and chills. Fever and chills may be caused by inflammation of the pancreas.

Aside from jaundice, which usually signals a medical problem that needs to be addressed urgently, any one or two of these symptoms alone are not cause for alarm. But anyone who notices a few of the symptoms that persist over a period of two weeks or more should make an appointment to be checked out by a doctor. The sooner pancreatic cancer is detected, the better the survival rate.

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