What are the symptoms of jaundice caused by pancreatic cancer

What are the symptoms of pancreatic cancer jaundice? The main symptoms of pancreatic cancer include digestive tract symptoms, jaundice, and some physical symptoms. Only by understanding the symptoms of pancreatic cancer can we detect the disease in time. So what are the typical symptoms of pancreatic cancer? Let's take a look at them together.

What are the symptoms of pancreatic cancer?

Jaundice: It is an important symptom of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, and obstructive jaundice is the most prominent manifestation of pancreatic head cancer, with an incidence of more than 90%. In the early stage, the pancreatic body and tail may not have jaundice. Jaundice is usually persistent and progressive. In case of complete obstruction, the stool may be clay-colored, the skin may be brown or bronze-colored, and it may be accompanied by itching.

Weight loss is a common symptom of advanced pancreatic cancer, with significant weight loss. 90% of patients experience weight loss, which is characterized by rapid progression. It is believed to be related to lack of pancreatic juice and bile, poor digestion and absorption function, poor appetite, sleep, heavy mental burden, and direct effects of cancer cells.

Abdominal pain: Upper abdominal discomfort and dull pain are the most common first symptoms of advanced pancreatic cancer. The location of the abdominal pain is unclear and the range is wide. The typical location is the middle upper abdomen and left hypochondrium, and it can radiate to the back, chest, and right scapula. The abdominal pain can manifest as dull pain, heavy tenderness, gnawing pain, etc., which is often persistent and can be aggravated after meals.

Digestive tract symptoms: fatigue and loss of appetite are very common, and may be accompanied by diarrhea, constipation, abdominal distension, nausea and other gastrointestinal symptoms. Some cases may experience steatorrhea, high blood sugar and diabetes. People who do not like fatty dishes may also experience fatty diarrhea, which is a symptom of diarrhea in which fat is not digested but mixed with feces and excreted.

Neurological symptoms: Some patients may experience anxiety, depression, insomnia, personality changes, etc.

Fever: At least 10% of patients experience fever during the course of the disease. In the late stage of pancreatic cancer, clinical manifestations may include low-grade fever, high-grade fever, intermittent fever, or irregular fever. The cause may be related to the pyrogen released by the cancer cells themselves or secondary biliary infection.

In the early stage of physical examination, there are usually no obvious signs. Typical cases include weight loss, jaundice, and tenderness in the upper abdomen. In the late stage, a nodular, hard mass can be felt in the upper abdomen. If jaundice is accompanied by an enlarged gallbladder, it is an important evidence of pancreatic head cancer. Due to bile stasis, an enlarged liver can often be felt. If the cancer compresses the splenic vein or the splenic vein is thrombosed, an enlarged spleen can be felt.

In advanced cases of pancreatic cancer, ascites may occur, and hard and enlarged metastatic lymph nodes may be palpated in the left supraclavicular or anterior rectal fossa.