5 warning signs of 'silent killer' pancreatic cancer that could save your life
There are five early warning signs of pancreatic cancer that could help save lives - after former England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson revealed he has perhaps months to live.
Doctors have told the 75-year-old - who took charge of the Three Lions' so-called Golden Generation which included David Beckham, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney - that they can't operate. Pancreatic cancer is dubbed the "silent killer" as it is very easy to overlook symptoms - and survival rates remain alarmingly low.
This is partly down to diagnosis coming after it has already spread, with just 13% of primary cases confined to the primary site, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Worryingly, there is also still no standard screening method for the disease.
Although pancreatic cancer ranks as the tenth most prevalent cancer in the UK, it stands as the fifth most lethal, contributing to nearly 10,000 annual deaths. A 2022 Pancreatic Cancer Action Network also found 83% of adults don't know the signs of pancreatic cancer, which are often easily missed early on, including stomach pain and bowel troubles.
The pancreas is a large, leaf-shaped gland that sits just behind the stomach. It plays a crucial role in digesting food and regulating blood sugar.
Warning as popular food and drink ‘increase risk of cancer death by up to 30%’
There are five common early signs of pancreatic cancer (Getty Images)Jaundice
Jaundice refers to the yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes. Other signs of jaundice include dark urine, light-coloured or greasy stools and itchy skin. You can get jaundice if a substance called bilirubin builds up in your body due to its ducts being blocked. The yellowish-brown substance is made by the liver and released to aid digestion, moving through the intestine to break down fats. The pancreas is close to the body's common bile duct so even small and undetectable tumours - not yet picked up by scans - can press against it and cause jaundice.
Stomach and back pain
A common symptom of pancreatic cancer is a dull pain in the upper abdomen (belly) and/or middle or upper back that comes and goes. This is probably caused by a tumour that has formed in the body or tail of the pancreas because it can press on the spine, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. Some patients describe pain starting in the middle abdomen and radiating into the back. Pain can be worse when lying down and can often be relieved by leaning forward.
Sudden weight loss
Unintentional weight loss or significant, unexplained weight loss is usually a sign that something is wrong in the body. Weight loss is one of the more common symptoms of pancreatic cancer. The NHS adds loss of appetite, feeling tired or having no energy, a high temperature, or feeling hot or shivery, are also possible symptoms.
Floating stools
If a tumor blocks the pancreatic duct, insufficient pancreatic juices in the intestines can lead to poor absorption and diarrhea, as the undigested food passes quickly through the digestive tract. If this happens, stool may float due to the higher fat content, appear bulky, greasy, and unusually pale, according to Columbia University Department of Surgery.
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
