Early Signs of Pancreatic Cancer
Only about 9 percent of pancreatic cancer patients survive for five years. So it’s important to spot warning signs early.
Here are some common
warning signs of pancreatic
cancer.
Your pancreas is your friend.
It helps you digest and makes
hormones like insulin, but it
can also get tumors that, if
not caught, can be deadly.
Only about 9 percent of pancreatic
cancer patients survive
for five years.
So, it is important to spot
warning signs early.
Watch out for these five
things:
1. Jaundice. If your
skin or the whites of your eyes
start to yellow or if your
urine turns dark, beware.
It could be a buildup of a
substance called bilirubin,
caused when a pancreatic
tumor blocks the bile duct.
2. If your stools are pale gray
or greasy, that's another sign.
It's because bilirubin usually
helps give stool its brown
color, but the cancer can block
it.
Cancer can also hinder the
breakdown of fat, so stools
may float in the toilet.
3. If you got belly or back
pain, it could be lots of
things, but it is one common
symptom of pancreatic cancer.
Tumors can press on nearby
organs and nerves, causing
pain.
4. Loss of appetite and
unintended weight loss are also
potential warning signs of
pancreatic cancer, as are nausea
and vomiting.
This is because
the cancer can press on the
stomach and partially block it,
making it hard for food to pass.
The average age of diagnosis
for pancreatic cancer is 70.
So, consider your age and keep
an eye out.
Reduce your risk by slimming
down if you are overweight,
and please don't smoke.
For more tips on staying
healthy, visit
http://www.aarp.org/health.