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Symptoms of Cancer of the pancreas

The symptoms of pancreatic cancer are often quite vague and non-specific. They will depend on the type of cancer and where it is located.

Early symptoms often develop gradually over a few months and can include:

• pain in the upper abdomen and back (this may come and go at first – it is usually a dull pain that’s worse when you lie down),
• jaundice – the skin and whites of the eyes turn a yellowy colour. Also, your urine may be darker than normal and your stools may be paler (jaundice occurs if the cancer develops in the head of the pancreas, blocking the bile ducts and leading to a build up of bile in the body),
• indigestion, 
• symptoms of diabetes (thirst, tiredness, needing to urinate more frequently),
• weight loss, and 
• loss of appetite.

Other symptoms may include tiredness, itchy skin and feeling or being sick, arthritis and skin nodules.These can all be symptoms of other less serious conditions, but it’s important to see your GP as soon as possible to find out what the problem is and the best way to treat it.

In most cases, people with pancreatic cancer don’t usually notice any symptoms until the cancer is well advanced. By this time, the cancer may have spread to other parts of the body, such as the glands (lymph nodes) in the abdomen, the lungs or the liver.

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