12. Persistent Upper Abdominal Discomfort
It usually starts as a dull pressure or ache right below your rib cage. Some people feel it more after eating. Others notice it comes and goes for weeks.
This happens when a growing tumor irritates the pancreas or nearby tissues.
If antacids don’t help and the discomfort keeps returning, pay attention — especially if it spreads to your back.
11. Unexplained Mid or Lower Back Pain
Picture a constant dull ache between your shoulder blades or around your waist. Many patients first think they “threw their back out.”
But pancreatic tumors can press on nerves that wrap around to the back. Studies in Annals of Oncology show back pain is one of the earliest symptoms in up to 50% of patients.
Here’s the clue: the pain often worsens when you lie down and eases slightly when you lean forward.
10. Suddenly Feeling Full or Loss of Appetite
Your favorite foods no longer excite you. Or you feel stuffed after just a few bites.
This happens when the tumor affects hormones that control hunger or presses on the stomach.
It feels exactly like stress-related appetite changes — except it doesn’t go away when life calms down.9. Unintentional Weight Loss
You’re not trying to lose weight, yet your clothes keep getting looser.
When the pancreas can’t release enough digestive enzymes, your body literally starves even when you eat normally. The National Cancer Institute lists unexplained weight loss as one of the top early warning signs.
8. Nausea or Vomiting (Especially After Fatty Meals)
Greasy foods suddenly make you queasy. Or you feel sick for no clear reason.
A tumor can partially block the digestive tract or slow stomach emptying.
Many people treat it with antacids for months before realizing something bigger is wrong.
7. Greasy, Pale, or Floating Stools (The One Everyone Ignores)
This is the symptom people hate discussing — but it’s incredibly telling.
If your stool looks pale, bulky, floats, and leaves an oily ring, it means fat isn’t being digested properly. Doctors call this steatorrhea.
Research published in Gastroenterology found this change can appear up to a year before diagnosis.
6. Yellowing of the Skin or Eyes (Jaundice)
One of the most visible signs — but it usually shows up later.
When a tumor blocks the bile duct, bilirubin builds up and turns your skin and eyes yellow.
You might first notice it in the whites of your eyes under bright light.
5. Intense Itchy Skin Without a Rash
The itching can be unbearable, especially on palms and soles. Lotions don’t help.
It’s caused by bile salts trapped under the skin. Many patients see dermatologists for months before anyone checks the pancreas.
4. New-Onset Diabetes After Age 50
Suddenly developing diabetes — especially if you’re not overweight — can be a red flag.
Pancreatic tumors can destroy insulin-producing cells. A 2021 study in JAMA Oncology found that 25–50% of patients are diagnosed with diabetes in the 36 months before their cancer diagnosis.3. Overwhelming Fatigue That Rest Doesn’t Fix
Not just “tired” — but bone-deep exhaustion that sleep doesn’t touch.
Poor nutrient absorption and the body’s immune response both drain energy.
2. Blood Clots in Legs or Lungs (Deep Vein Thrombosis or Pulmonary Embolism)
Pancreatic cancer makes blood more likely to clot. Sometimes the first hospital visit is for a swollen leg or sudden shortness of breath.
1. Ongoing Digestive Issues That Won’t Resolve
Bloating, indigestion, or discomfort after meals that lasts weeks or months.
This is the #1 symptom doctors say patients mention — but also the one most commonly dismissed as IBS, food intolerance, or “getting older.”
Quick Comparison: How to Tell If It’s Serious
Symptom Common Benign Cause Red Flag When…
Abdominal pain Gas, overeating Persists >2 weeks, radiates to back
Back pain Muscle strain Worsens lying down, better leaning forward
Weight loss Diet or stress >10 lbs without trying
Stool changes Temporary diet change Greasy/pale for weeks
New diabetes Family history, weight gain Sudden onset after age 50, no risk factors
What to Do If Several Symptoms Sound Familiar
Start a simple symptom journal today — write down what you feel and when.
Note any patterns (worse after eating? better sitting up?).
Bring your journal to your doctor and specifically mention pancreatic concerns.
Ask about blood tests (CA19-9
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