- Abdominal pain: While early pancreatic cancer is known to cause little to no pain while it grows, you may experience some discomfort or mild pain that could be a warning sign of the illness. Never dismiss even mild ailments if they reoccur or seem to be persistent for a period of days or weeks. The sooner you seek medical attention, the better your chances for successful treatment.
- Light stool color: This might seem “icky” but checking your stools regularly could save your life. If you notice an ongoing change in the color of your stools, notify your doctor. You may be experiencing a blockage in the duct that releases bile into the intestines caused by a cancerous growth.
- Bloating: Pancreatic cancer can cause a feeling of fullness due to the growth of the cancer or swelling in the abdomen.
- Pain in the back: Depending on the location of the cancer in the pancreas, some patients complain of back pain. If you have back pain that is not associated with an injury or other diagnosed condition, seek medical evaluation for any lasting pain in this area.
- Nausea or diarrhea: If you have any ongoing or recurring bouts of nausea or diarrhea, you should always seek medical advice. There could be many explanations for these ailments, but it’s always best to find the root cause. It could be pancreatic cancer, since this cancer exists in the abdomen and often wreaks havoc on the gastrointestinal tract.
- Enlarged lymph nodes: Enlarged lymph nodes associated with pancreatic cancer typically are located in the neck. Always have swollen lymph nodes examined by a physician as they could be the sign of pancreatic cancer or other serious illnesses.