When we talk about the most harmful cancer diseases, pancreatic cancer appears on top of the list. The stats show that almost 90 percent of the patients do not survive when they are diagnosed with this disease. Sadly, pancreatic cancer doesn’t show any symptoms in the early stages which means that it is rarely detected in time for an effective treatment plan to be actioned.

Although this is a very dangerous form of cancer, the best results occur when you catch the disease early and immediately begin treatment. Let’s take a look at some important symptoms of pancreatic cancer to watch for.

Skin That Turns Yellow

Yellowing of the skin is one of the most prominent signs of pancreatic cancer. Medically this yellowing of the skin is known as Jaundice. Pancreatic cancer doesn’t allow bile to go into the intestines by blocking the bile duct. As a result, your skin or eyes start becoming yellow and the patients also feel irritation. The yellowish hues can easily be noticed in your eyes when you’re suffering from this problem.

Lower Back Pain

Often you know the reason why lower back pain occurs. This could be something like doing tough exercises, lifting heavy objects or over exertion. But if you’re facing this problem without any reason, it can be a sign of pancreatic cancer. You shouldn’t ignore this sign and consider visiting your doctor as soon as you can.

A pancreatic tumor can also cause a constant, dull back pain by putting pressure on your back muscles and lower spine. Sometimes this is a sign of PMS cramps. But if you keep facing this problem even after the periods, it needs to be checked.

Changes in Stool or Urine

It feels awkward when someone tells you to look back and check the bathroom once you’ve used it. But it can save you from many health problems. Often urine will change color when there is something wrong going on inside the body. The same thing happens when you’re suffering from pancreatic cancer as your urine becomes dark brown or rust-colored. Pancreatic cancer builds up bilirubin in your blood which then causes urine to change color.

Similarly, if you’ve seen greasy or clay-colored stools, it can be a sign of pancreatic cancer because cancer blocks the bile duct. Bile breaks down the fats in your body and it also gives the brownish color to stool.

Oral Health Issues

Inflamed gums and bad breath can also be an important sign of pancreatic cancer. The presence of mouth bacteria that causes gum disease raises the risk of pancreatic cancer by 59 percent compared to patients who don’t have any of this mouth bacteria.

Poor oral health, gum disease and cavities are very common in pancreatic cancer patients.

Loss of Interest in Food

Loss of appetite can also be an early indictor of pancreatic cancer. A pancreatic tumor puts pressure on different organs which can reduce the craving for food. Patients may feel pain while eating and they often experience a false sense of feeling full.

Dropping Weight

Almost everyone feels happy and thrilled when they’re losing weight but it can be a sign of a potentially deadly disease in some cases. You must pay serious attention to weight loss if you haven’t made any changes to your activities.

People often start losing weight because they lose their appetite. If your weight is reducing quickly, you need to consult your healthcare specialist.

Developing Diabetes

Many pancreatic cancer patients are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes before they are diagnosed with cancer. The production of insulin is limited in the body due to the poor functioning of the pancreas.

Feeling Sick to Your Stomach

Sometimes, the stomach flu can be the cause of stomach aches. But if the problem is persistent, it’s could be something serious. It might be a sign of pancreatic cancer. The stomach can’t keep food down when cancer creates a blockage in the stomach. If you regularly feel pain after eating food you should see a doctor.

Pancreatitis

Pancreatitis can cause severe inflammation and pain to the pancreas as a result of gallstones blocking ducts. This condition is often caused by gallstones, but if it’s not then it might be a sign of pancreatic cancer. A small tumor on the pancreas can cause chronic pancreatitis.

Prolonged Bloating

If you feel bloated after having a meal, there is nothing wrong with it. But if you’re consistently experiencing this problem, you need to find the main cause. Your belly may feel larger when the cancerous tumors grow in your body. It’s important to get to the bottom of the problem to determine whether it is cancer or not.