Pancreatic Cancer Symptoms: Causes of Early Diarrhea and Itching, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Pancreatic cancer, a malignant tumor that develops in the pancreas located deep within the abdomen, often has no noticeable symptoms in its early stages, which is why it is also called a silent cancer.

The pancreas is one of the important organs that secretes enzymes to help digest food and produces insulin to regulate blood sugar.

Today, we will take a detailed look at the causes of pancreatic cancer symptoms, early symptoms, advanced-stage symptoms, diagnostic methods, treatment methods, and prevention methods.

Although it is a relatively rare cancer among all cancers, its survival rate is low and it progresses rapidly, making early diagnosis very important.

The main risk factors for pancreatic cancer symptoms include smoking, chronic pancreatitis, family history, a high-fat diet, a history of diabetes, obesity, and alcohol consumption.

In particular, men over 50, smokers, and people who frequently eat high-fat, high-calorie diets should be careful because the incidence rate is higher in these groups.

Early pancreatic cancer symptoms are not distinctive, so they are often mistaken for ordinary indigestion or weight loss. They may include loss of appetite, discomfort in the upper abdomen, and unexplained fatigue.

In addition, people may feel bloated after eating greasy foods, experience vomiting, or have oily, loose stools due to a lack of digestive enzymes.

Also, if diabetes suddenly worsens or blood sugar becomes harder to control than before, this can be a sign that something is wrong with the pancreas.

Among pancreatic cancer symptoms, itching and diarrhea can also be important clues. Itching occurs when the bile duct becomes blocked, causing bile to accumulate in the body and be released through the skin.

Diarrhea occurs because the pancreas does not secrete enzymes properly, so fat cannot be absorbed and appears as greasy diarrhea, with loose stools several times a day.

These symptoms may appear together with jaundice, darkened urine, or pale-colored stools, so a thorough medical examination is necessary.

In advanced stages, pain becomes severe, and the cancer may spread to the liver, peritoneum, or lungs. Systemic symptoms may also appear, such as sudden weight loss, extreme fatigue, and inability to control blood sugar.

Diagnosis is usually carried out using CT, MRI, endoscopic ultrasound, and tumor markers, and the final confirmation is made through a biopsy.

If surgery is found to be possible, a pancreatectomy is performed, but in most cases it is not operable at the time of detection, so chemotherapy and radiation therapy are used together.

To prevent it, it is most important to quit smoking and drinking, maintain a proper weight through consistent eating habits and exercise.

If you have diabetes or chronic pancreatitis, you should track changes through regular checkups, and if you have a family history, it is a good idea to identify your risk in advance through detailed examinations.

In particular, if you feel abdominal pain or notice sudden weight loss, do not brush it off lightly. Visit a relevant medical facility and receive an evaluation from a healthcare professional.