| eatic cancer symptoms are often difficult to detect, | | | | treatable forms of the disease are diagnosed in the |
| making it even harder to diagnose this potentially | | | | midst of painless jaundice. |
| deadly disease. It's important to remember that many | | | | Trusseau Sign |
| of the indicators will not present themselves until after | | | | Trusseau Sign is a secondary or complex evidence |
| the disease is in an advanced stage. Keep reading for | | | | where blood clots form in portal blood vessels, deep |
| a list of possible signs. | | | | veins and superficial veins spontaneously. It is |
| Stomach Pains | | | | sometimes associated with or common to patients |
| Among the basic pancreatic cancer symptoms is a | | | | diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. |
| soreness or pain in the high abdomen. Patients often | | | | Clinical Depression |
| complain that the pain spreads through the area and | | | | Though not as exhaustively accounted or referenced, |
| around to their back. Many people going through this | | | | depression is a subtle side effect of pancreatic cancer. |
| type of discomfort will often experience alleviation | | | | The clinical depression often develops even before the |
| once they lean forward. | | | | disease is detected. Doctors and researchers are still |
| This type of abdomen pain is usually present in the | | | | unsure why or how the two connect. |
| majority of patients (approximately 80%), but is | | | | How Pancreatic Cancer is Diagnosed |
| typically only evident during the advance stages of the | | | | To properly diagnose pancreatic cancer, your doctor |
| disease. Eating can often worsen the pain or cause | | | | must either do a liver function test or check for certain |
| increased discomfort. | | | | markers, like CA19-9, which indicate the presence of |
| Weight Loss | | | | pancreatic cancer when detected in high amounts. |
| Loss of appetite and subsequent weight loss are also | | | | Most patients are not screened until the above |
| common symptoms associated with pancreatic | | | | symptoms are presented. |
| cancer. Unfortunately, appetite loss and decreased | | | | In addition, imaging such as ultrasounds and a CT scan |
| weight are also symptoms associated with a number | | | | on the abdomen can be done to identify potentially |
| of other diseases and ailments, including digestive | | | | visible tumors. Some patients may require an |
| issues. | | | | endoscopic ultrasound to obtain tissue samples or see |
| Painful or Painless Jaundice | | | | the tumor location. |
| Since pancreatic cancer can block the bile duct - | | | | Early Screening for Pancreatic Cancer |
| which flows partly through the head of the pancreas - | | | | If you have two or more immediate family members |
| jaundice is a frequent symptom of the disease. | | | | (or three or more extended relatives) who have been |
| Tumors that develop on the pancreas are typically the | | | | diagnosed with pancreatic cancer symptoms, you |
| root of jaundice development, which is characterized | | | | should ask your doctor about early screening for the |
| by a yellowing of the skin. | | | | disease. |
| Generally, those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer see | | | | Pancreatic cancer symptoms often don't present |
| jaundice companioned with orange or dark urine and | | | | themselves until it is too late, making early screening |
| constant itching of the skin. Roughly one-half of | | | | critical for those at risk. So any multiple incidents of |
| localized pancreatic cancer patients endure painful | | | | signs described above should be evaluted by a trusted |
| jaundice, while half of those with less advanced or | | | | physician. |