Pancreas cancer is one of the most formidable in particular because it is often detected very late. In a video that has become viral on Tiktok, Dr Ahmed Ezzat, oncologist surgeon within the NHS, alert on three discreet but revealing symptoms of this often silent disease. “Less than 10 % of diagnosed patients survive more than ten years. We must act upstream“, insists the specialist, while 80 % of cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Here are the signs that must challenge you.
Unexplained variations in blood sugar
First sign gone unnoticed: fluctuations in blood sugar levels. This can result in the appearance of type 2 diabetes, or in destabilization in already diabetic people. The pancreas facilitates digestion and produces hormones, such as insulin and glucagon, which help convert sugar from food to energy. But pancreatic cancer can prevent the gland from producing enough hormones, which can cause unstable blood sugar levels.
“The pancreas produces insulin. If it dysfunction, it sometimes manifests itself in blood sugar to control”explains Dr. Ezzat. A sign that can also come in the form of irregular feelings of hunger.
Unusual abdominal or back pain
Another often neglected or trivialized alert: persistent pain in the belly or back. This is sometimes more intense after meals or in an elongated position. But this discomfort can however calm down when you lean forward.
“Even if it is not systematic, unexplained pain in these areas should encourage to consult”warns the doctor.
A start of jaundice, visible in the white of the eyes
Finally, jaundice – or jaundice – is another potential symptom, sometimes visible first in the white of the eyes before reaching the skin. It results from the accumulation of bilirubin in the blood, often caused by the obstruction of the biliary canal by a tumor.
A disease still poorly detected
These signs, although discreet, can precede other better known symptoms such as loss of appetite, nausea, fatigue or digestive disorders. However, the diagnosis remains too often late, deplored Dr Olivier Marty, head of the gastroenterology department at Saint-Joseph hospital in Paris in a previous article.
“The pancreas is located deeply in the abdomen, which makes it difficult to explore through imaging. And the early symptoms are too trivialized”, he alerts.
In almost half of the cases, cancer is discovered at an inoperable stage. Even when the tumor is located, around 30 % of patients cannot be operated on due to its proximity to major blood vessels.
But a disturbing progression
With nearly 15,000 new cases each year in France, this cancer could however become the second deadliest in Europe, behind that of the lung. In question: tobacco, diabetes, obesity, ultra-transformed food … and the absence of targeted screening program. “We still lack effective treatments. Chemotherapy remains the main appeal, but progress is slow, and immunotherapy has not yet shown convincing results”summarized Dr. Marty.
Knowing the signs, even subtle, can therefore be a first step towards a diagnosis a little earlier. And better chances of survival.