Most health articles about pancreatic cancer state that pancreatic cancer doesn’t show early symptoms that can be detected. People who are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer are usually already advanced enough in the disease that by the time it’s caught, within 5 years, death is imminent. Only 4% of patients who are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer live beyond five years. Many notable celebrities in public figures such as Patrick Swayze, Bonnie Franklin, and Steve Jobs have developed pancreatic cancer and died from it.
Unlike what All those articles have said, the answer is yes there are many symptoms. But it’s imperative to understand the symptoms and signs that characterize pancreatic cancer, and it’s important to understand what the pancreas does and where it’s located in the body. 53,000 people were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2017 and its a projected estimate that in the coming years, that of those 53,000, 43,000 will die from it.
1. Diabetes
Especially if it comes on suddenly – A study was recently performed by the Mayo Clinic that showed that 40% of pancreatic cancer patients were diagnosed with diabetes one or two years before they were diagnosed with the pancreatic tumor. Researchers found that these tumors were the cause of diabetes. The promise to detect whether or not it’s a pancreatic tumor based on diabetes is very difficult. The reason why is because diabetes is very common, and the majority of people who do have diabetes in the USA don’t have pancreatic cancer at all.
Many doctors in the world are trying to develop different type types of tools to screen the patient to see whether or not they can tell the difference between patients who have diabetes and pancreatic cancer versus just diabetes by itself. Some people say that family history is an important clue to determining whether or not diabetes and pancreatic cancer go hand-in-hand. If diabetes comes on suddenly and there is no family history of diabetes make sure you check with your doctor for a full-screen check for pancreatic cancer as well. Diabetes can make some and feel very thirsty, pass more urine than normal, feel tired and even lose weight.
