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It is very difficult to diagnose pancreatic cancer as the pancreas is so deep within the body and symptoms vary depending on the exact location of the tumour in the pancreas and which cells or function of the pancreas is affected by the tumour or cancer.
Unfortunately there are frequently no symptoms at all at the very early stages. The tumour may have grown significantly before it causes any obvious recognised symptoms.
Unfortunately the symptoms of pancreatic cancer can also be quite vague and non specific ie may be caused by many other more common and less serious conditions. Diagnosis can be delayed as the GP or specialist tries to rule out other causes such as hepatitis, gall stones, irritable bowel syndrome and stress.
Not everyone has every symptom, it depends very much on the location of the tumour in the pancreas. For example jaundice can be an early sign of a tumour in the head of the pancreas affecting the bile duct and back pain can be a late sign of a tumour in the body or tail of the pancreas possibly affecting the nerves and spine.
Jaundice may also be a late sign of a tumour that has developed initially further away from the bile duct and then grown or spread until it causes obstruction of the bile duct.
More information can be found on our page dedicated to pancreatic cancer symptoms
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