Symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer

Laura Millar is a Liver and Pancreas Nurse in the Belfast Trust working across the 3 different hospital sites looking after patients with cancer. She has been in this current role for 4 years having moved from the surgical ward, where patients have surgery for Pancreatic and Liver Cancer.

Early detection is vital so if you recognise any of the following symptoms please contact your GP immediately.

Pain in the upper abdomen or pain when eating can often be a sign to seek a GP appointment

Equally pain in the mid back area may be of concern. Patients often describe this as a pain along where a bra strap would normally sit

Often related to this can be indigestion which does not respond to prescribed medication. Equally a loss of appetite may be of concern

Possibly the most common symptom that we would normally see is jaundice. This is yellowing of the skin and eyes and may cause an itch

Additionally, be sure to look out for unexplained weight loss and fatigue

These symptoms are common for many cancers and other conditions but it’s best to put your mind at rest

Finally, if you have been diagnosed with a new onset of diabetes that is not associated with weight gain