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Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer (also called cancer of the pancreas) is represented by the growth of a malignant tumor within the pancreas organ proper. The most common form of this disease is known as adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. A less common, and typically far less virulent form of pancreatic cancer, is called islet-cell tumor (and is sometimes also known by the term neuro-endocrine tumor).

pancreatic cancer symptoms and diagnosis

Pancreatic cancer is difficult because the symptoms are non-specific and vary often. Common symptoms of pancreatic cancer include:

• abdominal pain
• loss of appetite
• significant weight loss
• jaundice
• digestive difficulties
• depression
• sudden onset adult diabetes
• swelling in the area to the lower left of the front rib cage

It is important to note that all of these symptoms are not necessarily exclusive to pancreatic cancer. Each can be a sign of many varying diseases. However, if you suspect these signs as pancreatic cancer symptoms, it would be pertinent to contact a health care physician.

Patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer typically have a poor prognosis. This is not a result of the cancer being more virulent than other cancers, but rather because pancreatic cancer symptoms do not tent to present until later in the progress of the disease. Usually pancreatic cancer causes no symptoms early on and patients thus do not seek early medical intervention.

Posted by Staff at June 16, 2005 2:08 AM

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Posted by: dustin dunn at December 23, 2005 4:18 AM