Feeling thirsty or having dark urine are two new symptoms of pancreatic cancer.
Researchers have discovered 21 new signs of the cancer, and these can become apparent up to a year before a diagnosis.
Researchers at Oxford University have confirmed 23 symptoms of PDAC (pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma), the most common form of the cancer; two of the most serious are jaundice (skin yellowing) and stomach bleeding. Problems swallowing, diarrhea, change in bowel habits, weight loss, fever and tiredness are some of the others.
While one or two of the symptoms on their own probably don’t indicate pancreatic cancer, doctors need to be aware of them so that an earlier diagnosis could be made. And, as with all cancers, catching it early is the key. The five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer is just 7 percent, one of the lowest of the major cancers.
(Source: Journal of General Practice, 2021; 71: e836)
