PANCREATIC CANCER SYMPTOMS YOU SHOULD KNOW, AND HOW THE DISEASE DEVELOPS

The disease is rarely found in time for lifesaving treatment, and kills about half a million people annually; here is what to look for

Pancreatic cancer can often be halted, but it is rarely detected in time.

It kills about half a million people every year, and claimed the life of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs in 2011.

In Hong Kong, 889 people died from it in 2021, accounting for 5.9 per cent of all cancer deaths. There were 1,037 new cases registered in 2022. The disease has an average five-year survival rate of less than 10 per cent.

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As the largest gland in the human body, the pancreas produces enzymes and hormones that are vital for digestion and metabolism. However, it is also susceptible to disease. The earlier pancreatic cancer is diagnosed, the better the survival rate, doctors say.

One of the main reasons pancreatic cancer has such a high mortality rate is that it often causes no symptoms until it has spread to other organs, according to the Mayo Clinic in the US state of Minnesota.

The symptoms of pancreatic cancer are non-specific at first, the German Cancer Research Centre says. To add to the confusion, it can trigger symptoms typical of other diseases of the abdomen.

Diabetes can be an early indicator and usually sets in one to two years before other symptoms, says Germany's Working Group of Pancreatectomy Patients (AdP), which raises awareness of the condition.

The pancreas is just above the spine. An unexplained pain in the back or deep-seated pain in the upper abdomen can indicate an early-stage tumour.

A growing tumour can narrow the pylorus - the opening from the stomach into the first part of the small intestine. Nausea and vomiting can be possible indicators of this.

It can also block the outflow of bile and turn the skin and conjunctiva of the eyes yellow. Urine becomes dark and the faeces lighter, says the AdP.

Other signs of pancreatic cancer are:

• feeling changes in the abdomen

• unexplained weight loss or loss of appetite

• diarrhoea or constipation

• increased tiredness, reduced ability to work

• night sweats and fever

People who suffer such symptoms should contact their family doctor - and sooner, rather than later.

Additional reporting by an SCMP reporter

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This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), the leading news media reporting on China and Asia.

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2025-01-02T08:37:44Z