Pancreatic cancer has some of the hardest to spot symptoms of any cancer, especially in its early stages, with it known as the 'silent disease'.
People are being urged to look for two key early warning signs however, with the disease being brought to the public's attention after US TV star Jerry Springer died aged 79 from the disease last month. He had only been diagnosed months ago.
The cancer has one of the lowest 10 year survival rates of any cancer with just five per cent surviving for more than a decade after initial diagnosis, according to Cancer Research UK. The Mirror has highlighted some crucial symptoms to know, given the disease's mortality rate.
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Researches say there are two particular symptoms to be aware of that could help doctors diagnose it early. This includes yellowing of the skin (jaundice) and bleeding in the stomach or intestine.
Two other lesser-known and unrecognised warning signs of pancreatic cancer could also be increased thirst and dark yellow urine, according to researchers. These symptoms were highlighted in a study last year.
“When pancreatic cancer is diagnosed earlier, patients have a higher chance of survival,” said Dr Weiqi Liao, data scientist at the University of Oxford.
“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.”
“Being aware of the early symptoms of pancreatic cancer is crucial if we are to diagnose patients earlier and improve pancreatic cancer survival,” added 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.”
There were a long list of other symptoms that were also found in the study last year. They included:
- 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
Pancreatic cancer is more likely for those aged over 75 and is not common for people under 40, according to the NHS. People can reduce their chances of getting the cancer by cutting down on red and processed meat, not being overweight, not smoking and drinking less alcohol.
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