Early symptoms of pancreatic cancer in women

Pancreatic cancer can still be treated conservatively in the early stages. This disease is not a terminal illness, and even if you are diagnosed with it, you may be cured without recurrence. However, this disease deteriorates very quickly, which is why it is difficult to treat. You can only find a regular treatment method before it worsens. Usually, a combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy is required to improve the condition.

The clinical manifestations of pancreatic cancer depend on the location of the cancer, the course of the disease, the presence or absence of metastasis, and the involvement of adjacent organs. Its clinical characteristics are short course of disease, rapid progression and rapid deterioration. The most common symptoms are upper abdominal distension, discomfort and pain. Although there is conscious pain, not all patients have tenderness. If there is tenderness, it is consistent with the location of conscious pain.

1. Abdominal pain

Pain is the main symptom of pancreatic cancer, and it occurs regardless of whether the cancer is located in the head or tail of the pancreas. In addition to pain in the middle abdomen, left upper abdomen, or right upper abdomen, a few cases complain of pain in the left or right lower abdomen, around the umbilicus, or throughout the abdomen, or even testicular pain, which can easily be confused with other diseases. When cancer involves the visceral capsule, peritoneum, or retroperitoneal tissue, tenderness may occur in the corresponding area.

2. Jaundice

Jaundice is an important symptom of pancreatic cancer, especially pancreatic head cancer. Jaundice is obstructive, with dark yellow urine and clay-like stools, and is caused by invasion or compression of the lower end of the common bile duct. Jaundice is progressive and although there may be slight fluctuations, it is impossible for it to completely disappear. The temporary relief of jaundice is related to the disappearance of inflammation around the ampullary area in the early stage, while in the late stage it is due to the ulceration and sloughing of the tumor invading the lower end of the common bile duct. The jaundice caused by the ampullary tumor is more likely to fluctuate. Jaundice only occurs when pancreatic body and tail cancer spreads to the pancreatic head. Some pancreatic cancer patients develop jaundice in the late stage due to liver metastasis. About 1/4 of patients have persistent skin itching, which is often progressive.

3. Gastrointestinal symptoms

The most common symptom is loss of appetite, followed by nausea and vomiting. There may be diarrhea, constipation or even black stools. The diarrhea is often steatorrhea. Loss of appetite is related to the obstruction of the lower end of the common bile duct and the pancreatic duct by tumors, which prevents bile and pancreatic juice from entering the duodenum. Obstructive chronic pancreatitis of the pancreas leads to pancreatic exocrine dysfunction, which will inevitably affect appetite. A small number of patients experience obstructive vomiting. About 10% of patients have severe constipation. Diarrhea due to exocrine pancreatic insufficiency: Steatorrhea is a late manifestation but is rare. Pancreatic cancer can also cause upper gastrointestinal bleeding, which manifests as vomiting blood and black stools. The splenic vein or portal vein may be thrombotic due to tumor invasion, leading to secondary portal hypertension. Occasionally, esophageal varicose veins may rupture and cause massive bleeding.

4. Weight loss and fatigue

Pancreatic cancer is different from other cancers in that it often causes weight loss and fatigue in the early stages.

5. Abdominal mass

The pancreas is deep and difficult to feel in the posterior abdomen. Abdominal masses are the result of the development of the cancer itself and are located at the location of the lesion. If a mass can be felt, it is usually in the progressive or advanced stage. Chronic pancreatitis may also cause a mass to be felt, which is difficult to distinguish from pancreatic cancer.