The early warning signs of ‘silent killer’ pancreatic cancer that could save a life

Former England football manager Sven-Göran Eriksson today told how he tries to ‘appreciate every day’ after being diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer.

The 75-year-old fears he has only one year left to live, or at worst slightly less, after last year’s bomb news.

Doctors have told him they “cannot operate” on his cancer, one of the deadliest forms.

Pancreatic cancer is sometimes called a ‘silent killer’ because it is so easy to miss the symptoms. Although mortality rates from many cancers have dropped dramatically over time, survival rates for pancreatic cancer are still alarmingly low.

Part of the problem is that most diagnoses occur after the cancer has already metastasized or spread. According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), only 13 percent of cases are confined to their primary location.

Such cancers are difficult to detect in the early stages because symptoms such as stomach pain and intestinal problems can be easily overlooked or attributed to other health problems.

A 2022 study by the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network found that 83 percent of adults are unaware of the signs of the disease. Although there is no standard screening method for pancreatic cancer, experts emphasize that noticing early symptoms can save lives.

Jaundice

Jaundice, the yellowing of the skin and eyes, is one of the most common early symptoms of pancreatic cancer.

It is caused by the buildup of bilirubin, a yellowish-brown substance produced by the liver. The liver releases bile, a fluid intended to aid digestion and which contains bilirubin.

With normal liver function, bile flows through channels to the intestine and helps break down fats.

However, when the bile ducts become blocked, bilirubin builds up, causing the skin and eyes to turn yellow.

This happens because the pancreas is close to the body’s common bile duct, causing tumors to press on the bile duct even when they are still small and undetectable on scans.

However, tumors in the lower part of the pancreas do not press on the duct until they have spread throughout the organ, which happens in the later stages of the disease.

Pancreatic cancer can also spread to the liver.

Other signs of jaundice include dark urine, light-colored or greasy stools, and itchy skin.

Stomach ache

Cancers that initially form in the body or in the lower parts of the pancreas can quickly grow large and press on nearby organs.

This cancer also presses on the nerves around those organs.

One of the nearby organs is the stomach.

The Pancreatic Action Network estimates that approximately 70 percent of patients experience this pain at the time of diagnosis.

At first it may come and go, becoming worse when you lie down or eat. As tumors grow, the pain may become more constant and last longer.

Backache

Pain can also radiate from the stomach to the back.

This pain is usually localized in the middle of the back or just below the shoulder blades.

It can also reach the shoulders.

Like stomach pain, this is most common when tumors are found in the tail of the pancreas, or in its lowest part.

This pain also tends to worsen when lying down or right after eating, like stomach pain.

Sudden weight loss

People with pancreatic cancer may have little to no appetite.

The suppressed appetite may be caused by a deficiency of functional pancreatic enzymes, which help break down fats, carbohydrates and proteins.

This can cause unintentional weight loss, which in general is often an indication that something is medically wrong.

Malignant cells can also sap the body’s nutrients, meaning a patient needs more calories. If the patient does not consume the required amount of calories, he is more likely to lose weight.

Floating feces

Unusual changes in bowel habits may be a sign of pancreatic cancer.

Although this happens after sudden dietary changes, such as adding foods like broccoli, beans and lentils to your diet, floating stools can be linked to a lack of bile.

The liver produces this to filter waste products such as toxins and high cholesterol.

A lack of bile in the stool can be an indication of bile acid malabsorption. When bile is not absorbed properly, it causes chemical imbalances.

If a tumor blocks the pancreatic duct, insufficient nutrients from the pancreas can lead to malabsorption and diarrhea, as undigested food passes through the digestive tract too quickly.

This results in the stool containing too much fat, causing it to float or look greasy or pale.