Just 5% of people who are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer live for 10 or more years following their diagnosis - but being aware of the lesser-known warning signs of the disease could help improve survival rates, according to health researchers.
The pancreas is an organ in the top part of your tummy which helps you digest food and makes hormones, such as insulin. Pancreatic cancer is the 10th most common cancer in the UK, with around 10,500 people being diagnosed each year, and is more common in older people with over 45% of those diagnosed aged 75 and over, according to Cancer Research UK.
However, cancer of the pancreas is often diagnosed at an advanced stage because people who have the disease may not have any symptoms at all in the early stages, or the warning signs might be particularly difficult to spot. However, a health study has identified two previously unrecognised warning signs of the disease that people can look out for, The Mirror reports.
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Research carried out last year uncovered increased thirst and dark yellow urine as two lesser-known symptoms of pancreatic cancer. "Being aware of the early symptoms of pancreatic cancer is crucial if we are to diagnose patients earlier and improve pancreatic cancer survival," said Dr Pippa Corrie, chair of the pancreatic workstream of the NCRI Upper Gastrointestinal Group and Consultant Medical Oncologist at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, UK.
"This research could help GPs and their patients know more about the signs of pancreatic cancer. It's vital that people speak to their GP if they notice these symptoms."
Dr Weiqi Liao, data scientist at the University of Oxford, added: "When pancreatic cancer is diagnosed earlier, patients have a higher chance of survival. It is possible to diagnose patients when they visit their GP, but both patients and GPs need to be aware of the symptoms associated with pancreatic cancer."
The experts also said that yellowing of the skin (jaundice) and bleeding in the stomach or intestine were the two most serious symptoms associated with the cancer. The NHS urges people to seek advice from 111 immediately if the whites of their eyes or their skin turn yellow, if they are being sick for more than two days, or they have diarrhoea for more than seven days.
The full list of pancreatic cancer symptoms found in the study were:
- Problems swallowing
- Diarrhoea
- Change in bowel habits
- Vomiting
- Indigestion
- Abdominal mass
- Abdominal pain
- Weight loss
- Constipation
- Fat in stool
- Abdominal swelling
- Nausea
- Flatulence
- Heartburn
- Fever
- Tiredness
- Appetite loss
- Itching
- Back pain
Many of these symptoms are very common and can often be caused by other conditions - for example, people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) might experience several of them regularly. However, you should visit your GP if your symptoms change, get worse, or don't feel normal for you, the NHS advises.
The NHS adds that you should make sure you see your GP particularly if you have lost a noticeable amount of weight in the last six to 12 months without trying, or if you have other symptoms that don't get better after two weeks. Having these symptoms does not definitely mean you have pancreatic cancer, but it's important to get them checked out - if they are being caused by cancer, finding it early makes it more treatable.
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