Pancreatic disease symptoms are conspicuous by their absence. This disease is responsible for largest numbers of deaths when compared to all other types of cancers. This disease is also called the ‘silent disease’ because its symptoms cannot be detected early in the cancer stage.
Jaundice: This symptom may or may not occur in people. However, jaundice occurs earlier during the pancreatic disease thus giving the patient a chance to live a longer life. Jaundice is generally because the bile is not going out efficiently into the digestive system. Bile remaining blocked up inside the body causes jaundice. In case of pancreatic disease, it is the blockage of bile duct which causes jaundice. This blockage happens when the tumor growth blocks passage of bile into the small intestine.
Diabetes Mellitus: This is another very important symptom. It is important to know that not all people suffering from diabetes are suffering from pancreatic disease. However, many people suffering from diabetes also end up getting this cancer. At times people who do not have diabetes may start with this condition after the pancreatic disease surgery has been done. This happens because most of the times during the surgery part of pancreas is cut off resulting into change in capacity of producing insulin.
Weight loss: One of the most obvious pancreatic cancer symptoms. A person may experience drastic weight loss. Though there are several reasons for weight loss, pancreatic disease cannot be ignored as one of the possibilities. Weight loss occurs because there is no proper digestion of food since pancreas is affected. Pancreas is responsible for secretion of several digestive juices.
Loss of appetite/vomiting/nausea: These symptoms again can be caused because of several different reasons. However, all these symptoms continue for a long time. These become stronger after this disease has progressed. Surgery is required to ease out these symptoms.
Depression: This is yet another symptom which can be confused with many other diseases. This is caused because with the pancreatic disease complete health of a person is being hampered.
Pancreatic disease cannot be cured completely. Though surgery can ease out symptoms and at times it can also help a person live a normal life for some years. However, for people whose cancer has spread throughout the pancreas and other parts life span becomes considerably shorter. Surgery can be used only to relieve pain and other symptoms however this disease is not curative. Pancreatic disease symptoms start becoming obvious only after the cancer has grown considerably inside the body.
