The pancreas is an important organ that helps in secreting enzymes required for digestion. It also secretes hormones required to maintain blood sugar levels. The abnormal growth of cells in the pancreas that lead to the formation of a tumor is called pancreatic cancer. The symptoms do not appear in the early stages of this type of cancer but spread fast to other parts of the body. As a result, diagnosis and treatments for pancreatic cancer often start at an advanced stage.

The symptoms associated with this form of cancer are often non-specific and they make an appearance in the advanced stage. This delays the detection of the disease and thereby, the treatments for pancreatic cancer.

Some of the common symptoms known to be associated with this disease are:

1. Loss of appetite
It is one of the common symptoms of this disease. Since people with various other types of health conditions can experience it as well, it can be quite difficult to associate this symptom with pancreatic cancer.

2. Fatigue
An early symptom of pancreatic cancer is fatigue, which tends to manifest before a diagnosis is made. This type of fatigue is described as a loss of typical energy levels and affects mental processes as well. Affected people often complain about feeling tired even after proper rest.

3. Pain in the upper abdomen
Patients can experience pain in the upper part of their abdomen which might radiate to their back. As the cancer spreads, it tends to press down on the nerves or other organs which is what causes the pain. Alternatively, a blockage in the digestive tract can lead to pain.

4. Different health complications
Solely based on the symptoms, this disease can be hard to detect. It is, therefore, very important, to make a correct diagnosis based on different medical tests, so that the treatments can be administered properly.

As the disease starts progressing, these symptoms might lead to following health-related complications:

• Weight loss

This is a common symptom among people with pancreatic cancer. There can be various reasons that can cause weight loss. Either cancer itself can be responsible for this complication or the pressing of the tumor on the stomach can make a person eat less. Moreover, the pancreas may not be able to produce digestive juices, obstructing the absorption of nutrients from the food consumed. Additionally, various types of treatment methods might cause nausea and vomiting in patients, which, in turn, will cause them to consume less food. All these factors will eventually lead to the loss of body weight.

• Obstruction of bowel

As this type of cancer grows, it may press on the first part of the small intestine, duodenum. As a result, it blocks the digested food from flowing to the intestine from the stomach.

• Jaundice

This type of cancer blocks the bile duct of the liver which further causes the development of jaundice. The common signs involved are yellowish skin and eyes, pale-colored stool, and dark-colored urine. They are usually not accompanied by abdominal pain.

4. Diagnosis of pancreatic cancer
For the treatment of pancreatic cancer, it is important to carry out the following medical tests to diagnose the disease correctly:

• Imaging tests

It includes CT scans, MRIs, and PET scans to visualize the internal organs including the pancreas.

• Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)

The device is passed through the endoscope, a flexible tube, down the esophagus and stomach to take images of the pancreas from inside.

• Biopsy

A small sample of tissue is removed from the pancreas, which is then tested in the lab to identify the presence of cancerous cells.