| Yellow skin and eyes, Abdominal pain that exudes | | | | from that area. If a mass is discovered, a biopsy |
| through your back, Sudden weight loss and loss | | | | will be done to check for malignancy. Once you |
| of appetite, Depression. This are some surefire | | | | have received a confirmation of pancreatic |
| pancreas cancer symptoms. Unfortunately, by the | | | | cancer, it is now up to your team of physicians to |
| time you discover these signs and symptoms | | | | determine how advanced and in what stage your |
| your cancer most likely has spread to other | | | | cancer is. This can be done with a bone scan, |
| regions of your body and it is too late to do | | | | blood test, x-ray, laparoscopy, CT scan or MRI. |
| anything about it. Pancreatic cancer is the number | | | | Your cancer will be rated in 4 different stages. |
| one deadliest cancers today. Even with early | | | | Stage I is the best case scenario and a better |
| detection, the survival rate is very slim. | | | | chance at survival. Stage IV is the worst stage to |
| Researchers and scientists are working diligently | | | | be in and means that a battle fought will most |
| to find a cure for pancreatic cancer, but a solution | | | | likely not be won. |
| is a long way off. Because the signs and | | | | No matter what stage of pancreatic cancer you |
| symptoms are so subtle, by the time you start | | | | are diagnosed with, one thing is for certain; you |
| to not feel like yourself, the cancer most likely | | | | will be facing an uphill battle. Pancreatic cancer is |
| has spread. | | | | such a difficult disease to fight and win. Radiation |
| At the first sign of these symptoms, make an | | | | therapy and/or chemotherapy will be administered |
| appointment to see your physician. A gamut of | | | | once the removal of the diseased part of your |
| tests will be run to determine what is causing | | | | pancreas has been done. If your oncologist finds |
| your symptoms. To test for pancreatic cancer, | | | | that the cancer has spread past your pancreas to |
| an ultrasound or MRI will be conducted to search | | | | other parts of your body, he most likely will not |
| for the presence of any masses or spots on | | | | remove the pancreas at all since the removal of |
| your pancreas (or other organs that the cancer | | | | the organ is to keep it from spreading to other |
| could have spread to). Another procedure used in | | | | regions in your body. Lesson learned; at the first |
| testing for pancreatic cancer is a dye injected into | | | | sign of pancreas cancer symptoms, walk, don't |
| your body that highlights the bile ducts in your | | | | run to go and see your physician to discuss the |
| pancreas to see if there are any spots radiating | | | | best course of treatment for you. |