How To Diagnose Pancreatic Cancer 14 Steps With Pictures

Abdominal pains and/or back pains Nausea/digestive difficulties Loss of appetite Unexplained weight loss Jaundice(There is a summary discussion of symptoms before the “Tips” section below. )

Cancer marker testing can be worthwhile if you and your doctors have some reasons to suspect there are symptoms of pancreatic cancer. Tests are not conclusive, because some markers can be caused by several other problems. Be aware that there is not one simple test or set of defined symptoms that can readily screen for/or detect pancreatic cancer.

Jaundice also causes itchy skin. The parts of the eyes that turn yellow are called the sclera, or the white part of your eye. To confirm jaundice (if the yellowing is not so obvious), your doctor may test your urine for bile or order a blood test.

Palpating (deeply touching) your pancreas for mild-to-moderate swelling is difficult and virtually useless for doctors because the gland is positioned behind and close to other organs. Because pancreatic cancer often causes the liver and/or gallbladder to swell, which are easier to palpate and detect, the condition may be misdiagnosed as liver cirrhosis or cholecystitis. Due to abdominal tenderness, fatigue and diarrhea, the early stages of pancreatic cancer can mimic other disorders or infections, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease and irritable bowel syndrome.

To measure your blood sugar level, see your doctor for a blood test. Another simple way to tell if you have high blood sugar is a urine test. This will show if your body isn’t controlling your blood sugar, and if it’s building up in your urine.

Another clue that your pancreas is dysfunctional by not producing or releasing enough fat-digesting enzyme (bile) is that your stool will have spots of oil floating on the water or look greasy, smell worse than usual and fecal matter will tend to float in the toilet bowl.

Note down all of the symptoms you’ve been experiencing and describe them as best you can to your doctor.

Tumor markers are substances that can sometimes be found in the bloodstream of a cancer patient. Two that are related to pancreatic cancer are called CA 19-9 and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). These tumor markers are not elevated in all people with pancreatic cancer and some who don’t have any cancer might have higher levels for some other reason, so they are not really accurate indicators but are relatively cheap and non-invasive so are helpful in determining whether or not to test further. Looking at hormone levels is useful as some (such as chromogranin A, C-peptide and serotonin) are often elevated in people with pancreatic cancer.

An endoscopic ultrasound uses a device to take images of your pancreas gland from inside your abdomen. The endoscope is sent down through your esophagus and into your stomach to take the images. An ERCP uses an endoscope to inject dye into your pancreas, then an abdominal x-ray is taken to highlight the bile ducts and other parts of the gland. .

A percutaneous biopsy (also called fine needle aspiration) involves inserting a long, thin, hollow needle through the abdominal skin and into the pancreas gland in order to remove a small piece of tissue / tumor. An endoscopic biopsy involves inserting an endoscope down the esophagus, through the stomach and into the small intestine to get close enough to the pancreas to cut off a tissue sample. A surgical biopsy is most invasive because it involves making incisions into the abdomen and inserting a laparoscope to get a sample and look around to see if the cancer has spread.

Moderate abdominal and/or back pain Nausea (not vomiting) Loss of appetite (food is less desirable) Unexplained significant weight loss Yellow jaundice (which also causes itchy skin)

Chronic pain Severe nausea Frequent vomiting Malabsorption of food Blood glucose control problems/Diabetes (since the pancreas makes and releases insulin but becomes dysfunctional).

Stage 0: Not spread. A single layer/small group of cells in the pancreas – not yet visible on imaging tests or to the unaided eye. Stage I: Local growth. Pancreatic cancer is growing in the pancreas, Stage 1A is less than 2 centimeters (0. 79 in) (approx 3/4 in) across, but Stage IB is greater than 2 centimeters. Stage II: Local spread. Pancreatic cancer is larger, protruding outside the pancreas, or has spread to nearby lymph nodes. Stage III: Spread nearby. The tumor has expanded such as encasing nearby major blood vessels or nerves (unlikely to be operable, unless very limited spread) – as well as into nearby lymph nodes – but is not known to have metastasized to any distant organ. Stage IV: Confirmed distant spread. Pancreatic cancer has been found in distant organs such as lungs, liver, colon, etc. – probably inoperable.