Jaundice, rash, loss of appetite: Beware of pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer is a primary malignant tumor originating from the epithelium of the pancreas, the islets of Langerhans cells and connective tissue. Of which 90% are pancreatic carcinomas or also known as exocrine pancreatic cancer. The remaining type is a cancer of the connective tissue called endocrine pancreatic cancer which is very rare.
The most common clinical symptom of pancreatic cancer in patients with this disease is painless jaundice (easily confused with jaundice due to liver disease), with or without itching.
In addition, we may encounter other signs of pancreatic cancer such as mild fever, chills, pale stools and bile-colored urine.
In addition, the gallbladder is distended due to obstruction of the common bile duct and lack of bile secretion into the duodenum, so it can be easily seen and felt from the outside. This is also the cause of dark urine and pale stools.
In cases of tumors in the epigastric region, edema of the limbs due to obstruction of the vena cava, sometimes venous obstruction due to thrombosis can occur simultaneously. The rate of pancreatic cancer in men is higher than in women.
In cases where the patient has damage to the body of the pancreas, common symptoms are severe pain at the site radiating to the front and pain radiating to the back.
Pancreatic cancer is a type of cancer that is difficult to diagnose early, because the disease has few early symptoms, is difficult to recognize, and can sometimes be confused with clinical symptoms of other diseases. Patients often suspect pancreatic adenocarcinoma when they feel discomfort in the epigastric region or the left back that lasts a long time, combined with weight loss and fatigue.
In general, if you experience the following symptoms, patients need to pay special attention and go to reputable medical facilities for examination, testing and timely treatment:
- Jaundice
- Itchy skin
- Change in taste, loss of appetite, anorexia.
- Liquid, silvery stools with an unpleasant odor.
- Honey yellow urine.
Pancreatic cancer is rare in people under 30 years old, often occurring in middle-aged people and people over 60 years old. The incidence of men is higher than that of women. The cause of pancreatic cancer has not yet been clarified by scientists, but smoking is a causative agent and environmental changes and the increasing levels of toxic chemicals are also considered risk factors for the disease.
There is no clear association between pancreatic cancer and acute or chronic pancreatitis, but there is an association between pancreatic cancer and gallstones and cirrhosis. A link with alcohol has not been proven.
Histopathologically, pancreatic cancer is divided into four common types:
- Tubular cell carcinoma.
- Adenocarcinoma.
- Connective tissue cancers include sarcomas.
- Pancreatic islet cell cancer.
