PANCREATIC cancer is known to be hard to spot.
The disease is even dubbed a “silent killer” due to its subtle symptoms.
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There are around 10,500 new cases of pancreatic cancer in the UK every year and just 10 per cent of people will survive beyond five years, according to Cancer Research UK (CRUK).
Rates are projected to rise by five per cent in the UK between 2023 and 2040, the charity added.
It also claims 9,000 lives each year, including the likes of celebrities including Sven-Goran Eriksson, Alan Rickman and Patrick Swayze.
One of the biggest issues when it comes to treating pancreatic cancer is that the disease often lacks obvious symptoms in its early stages – while it is still confined to the pancreas.
Read more on bowel habits
Patients usually only begin to realise that something is amiss, once tumours have grown and spread to other parts of the body.
To mark Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month this November we take a look at some tell-tale signs you can spot in your poo which could warn you that you have the disease.
1. Pale and greasy poop
You might notice that your poo is paler in colour and oily – this can happen if pancreatic cancer affects your digestion, so that fat in your food isn’t digested properly.
This change to your number two is called steatorrhea and can also be a sign of coeliac disease.
According to CRUK, steatorrhea happens if your pancreatic duct is blocked.
2. Floaters
Increased fat in your poo could also lead them to float and be difficult to flush down the toilet.
Floating poops could also be a sign of gastrointestinal disorders, stomach infections or even lactose intolerance.
3. Foul-smelling number twos
According to gastroenterologist Dr Sameer Islam from Texas, US: “Your poop is not supposed to be smelling good.”
“Even if your stool smells terrible, that doesn’t mean that something bad is going on,” he says.
But Pancreatic Cancer UK said to watch out if your poo is “large, bulky, [and] smells horrible”.
4. Diarrhoea
You might notice that food is passing through you quickly and you’re having diarrhoea.
The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network said: “Diarrhoea consisting of loose, watery, oily or foul-smelling stools can be caused by insufficient amounts of pancreatic enzymes in the intestines.
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“This leads to malabsorption as undigested food passes quickly through the digestive tract.”
5. Constipation
On top of diarrhoea, many pancreatic cancer patients experience constipation.
It’s common particularly in people taking pain medications, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network flagged.
It explained: “These medications slow the passage of food through the intestines.
“If the digestive system works too slowly, it can cause stools to become dry, hard and difficult to pass.”
6. Needing to poo lots
You might have the need to empty your bowels urgently, especially after eating, which can be caused by problems digesting food, according to Pancreatic Cancer UK.
Passing of watery stools more than three times a day is something to watch out for, Pancreatic Cancer Action said.
Feeling bloated and having wind are also digestive red flags.
Constipation and diarrhoea are both quite common.
If you have a condition like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) you might get both – as well as tummy pain and bloating or indigestion – quite regularly.
It’s important to get symptoms you aren’t used to checked out by a GP, NHS guidance says.
Pancreatic Cancer Action said you should do so ‘if a change in your bowels keeps happening or lasts longer than a week’.
“It does not mean you have pancreatic cancer but is important to investigate and your GP may be able to resolve your symptoms easily,” the charity said.
It suggests you keep a symptoms diary – this will help you keep track of what you’re experiencing and could be useful when visiting your GP.
The NHS said you should speak to 111 if:
- The whites of your eyes or your skin turn yellow
- You’re being sick for more than two days
- You have diarrhoea for more than seven days
- You have symptoms that you’re worried about, but are not sure where to get help
Symptoms of pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer affects your pancreas, an organ in the top part of your tummy which helps you digest food and makes hormones, such as insulin.
You may not experience symptoms, the NHS said, or they may be hard to spot.
Some signs include:
- The whites of your eyes or your skin turning yellow due to jaundice, and you may also have itchy skin, darker pee and paler poo than usual
- Loss of appetite or losing weight without trying to
- Feeling tired or having no energy
- A high temperature, or feeling hot or shivery
Digestive symptoms include:
- Feeling or being sick
- Diarrhoea or constipation, or other changes in your poo
- Pain at the top part of your tummy and your back, which may feel worse when you’re eating or lying down and better when you lean forward
- Symptoms of indigestion, such as feeling bloated
As with all cancers, there are certain things that can increase the risk of developing the disease.
According to CRUK, smoking cigarettes, cigars, pipes and chewing tobacco all increase pancreatic cancer risk.
They found that nearly one in three pancreatic cancers (about 30 per cent) may be linked to smoking.
Heavy drinking is also a risk factor, as is being overweight and having diabetes.
Pancreatic cancer can also sometimes run in families.
