On Tuesday, Sex and the City star Willie Garson passed away from pancreatic cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, Garson is just one of 48,000 who will die this year from the illness.
According to Medical News Today, in the digestive system, the pancreas produces insulins and enzymes to help break down the food. The enzymes that help break down the food get secreted by the pancreas. The pancreas also helps the body regulate our glucose levels. What happens when the organ that helps break down our food has cancer?
Abdominal pain
According to the American Cancer Society, a sign of pancreatic cancer is pain in the abdomen. As the cancer moves and presses into the nerves and organs of the body, the pancreas starts to cause uneasiness and pain. This pain can get worse and progress over time.
Weight loss
Another symptom of pancreatic cancer can be sudden weight loss. If you notice that you are quickly losing weight without dieting, it can be a symptom of pancreatic cancer. Facty Health discussed how pancreatic cancer affects our digestive system. Pancreatic cancer can affect the production of enzymes that are used to digest food. Without proper digestion the body isn’t receiving the nutrients it needs which can cause a substantial amount of weight loss.
Jaundice
Jaundice is when the skin and eyes start to yellow. One of the complications of jaundice is inflammation in the pancreas which can lead to abdominal pain. However, jaundice can also be associated with other causes such as liver issues or diseases. It is important to check this right away.
Bloating
Bloating is also a common symptom of pancreatic cancer. Active Beat discusses how people with pancreatic cancer tend to blat and have gas symptoms quickly after a small meal, which can weaken a person’s appetite. Pancreatic tumors affect the organs around it causing pressure. This pressure makes it difficult to digest the food properly. Since the food takes more time to digest a person tends to feel full and not eat.
Vomiting
Vomiting can occur throughout the different stages of pancreatic cancer. Facty Health explains how because of the cancer causes issues with the digestive system, there is a chemical imbalance in the body that makes you feel sick and want to vomit.
Discolored stools
According to Active Beat, when the tumor blocks the bile duct, the stool becomes discolored and looks to be pale or white in color. What also happened is that the urine darkens and there is a change in odor which usually ends up having a foul sell. Another issue may be blood as it may be seen in the urine.
Gallbladder and liver enlargement
According to the American Cancer Society, if the bile duct is blocked by the cancer, the gallbladder becomes larger due to the bile build-up. If the cancer spreads to the liver, it can also enlarge the liver.
Blood clots
Blood clots can mean several different things and one of them may be pancreatic cancer. The American Cancer Society states that if there is a blood clot in a large vein, especially in the leg, can be a sign of pancreatic cancer. What sometimes happens with a blood clot is that the blood clot can break and travel to the lunges. This can cause chest pain or shortening of breath, which is called a pulmonary embolism.
Sources:
https://health.facty.com/conditions/cancer/10-symptoms-of-pancreatic-cancer/4/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/10011.php
https://www.activebeat.com/your-health/the-signs-symptoms-of-pancreatic-cancer/6/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/10011.php
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/pancreatic-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/signs-and-symptoms.html
