Unlike organs like the liver or the heart, the pancreas plays a more subtle yet important role in a wide variety of bodily processes. That’s why the signs of pancreas problems, including pancreatic cancer, are easy to attribute to other health conditions or brush off as something that’s not serious—but knowing they are connected to your pancreas can make an enormous difference.
“Part of the reason survival rates are so low is that identifying pancreatic cancer early is difficult,” said Andrew Hendifar, M.D., the medical director of pancreatic cancer at the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Center in Los Angeles. Early detection is also tough when it comes to non-cancer pancreas problems, such as pancreatitis, added Ted Epperly, M.D., a family medicine physician and the president and CEO of Full Circle Health, a teaching health center in Idaho.
Meet the experts: Andrew Hendifar, M.D., the medical director of pancreatic cancer at the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Center in Los Angeles; Ted Epperly, M.D., a family medicine physician and the president and CEO of Full Circle Health.
The location of the pancreas also makes diagnosing pancreatic illnesses rather tricky. Per the Cleveland Clinic, the long, flat organ is situated in the back of the abdomen, where it produces enzymes and hormones that support digestion and blood sugar retention.
All that said, there are some signs of pancreas problems to watch out for. Read on to discover the ones experts say should warrant a call to your doctor.
Top signs of pancreas problems
Pale, floating stool
If you notice your stool is light colored and floating, that’s a sign of poor nutrient absorption because of a pancreas malfunction. “The enzymes your pancreas produces help you digest fats in your diet,” Dr. Hendifar explained. Along with breaking down fats, your pancreas helps your body absorb fat-soluble vitamins like A, E, and K, he said.
When pancreatic disease messes with your organ’s ability to properly manufacture those enzymes, the result is feces that looks paler and is less dense. You may also notice your poop is oily or greasy. “The toilet water will have a film that looks like oil,” Dr. Hendifar said. That’s the dietary fat your body failed to break down, he explained.
If your poop looks a little funky now and then, that’s no reason to freak out. But if all or most of your bowel movements have these characteristics, let your doctor know.
Radiating back pain
Abdominal pain is one of the most common symptoms of both pancreatic cancer and acute pancreatitis, which is a type of deadly inflammation, Dr. Hendifar said. But that pain manifests in different ways depending on the underlying condition.
If the pain seems to start in your middle before “radiating” into your mid or lower back—and if it lingers for weeks—that may be a symptom of pancreatic cancer, Dr. Epperly said. Also, if you’ve already seen your doctor and he or she has prescribed a type of drug called a proton-pump inhibitor—such as omeprazole (Prilosec) or esomeprazole (Nexium)—let your doctor know if your symptoms don’t improve. Dr. Hendifar said it’s common for doctors to mistake pancreatic cancer–triggered pain for reflux or other GI issues, many of which a proton-pump inhibitor should help resolve.
On the other hand, if the pain comes on suddenly and is intense and focused in the middle of your abdomen, that’s the type associated with acute pancreatitis (sudden, temporary inflammation of the pancreas), Dr. Epperly said.
Still, it’s important to remember that a lot of health issues—some serious, but many mild—can cause stomach aches or pain, Dr. Hendifar added. But if either of the descriptions above sound familiar and you haven’t found a way to get relief, it’s best to give your doctor a call.
An unexpected diabetes diagnosis
Your pancreas produces hormones like insulin and glucagon that help maintain healthy levels of sugar in your bloodstream. When the pancreas is imperiled, it’s common for sufferers to develop type 2 diabetes, Dr. Hendifar said, because the production of these hormones will be thrown out of whack. If your weight is under control and you eat a healthy diet, a new diabetes diagnosis should lead to a closer examination of your pancreas.
The same holds for a diabetes sufferer who suddenly finds her disease harder to manage, even if she is doing all the right things. “Those sudden changes in diabetes status without an obvious explanation, those are things we see associated with pancreatic cancer,” Dr. Hendifar said.
Nausea from high-fat foods
Nausea and vomiting are symptoms to watch out for—particularly if you’ve been eating fatty foods, Dr. Hendifar said. Again, because your pancreas produces enzymes that help your digestive system break down fat, diseases that mess with your pancreas tend to disrupt your body’s fat-digesting capabilities, which leads to nausea. “Hamburgers are often nausea triggers, and so are avocados and nuts, which are all high in fat,” Dr. Hendifar added. “Pizza is another one that’s really tough for patients with a compromised pancreas.” Dr. Epperly said pancreatitis is more likely than pancreatic cancer to lead to sudden vomiting and nausea.
Rapid weight loss
It’s tempting to credit your new diet, especially if you’re actively trying to lose weight. But if you’re shedding weight—and especially if you’re experiencing the radiating pain described above—that weight loss could be due to the digestive issues associated with pancreatic cancer or disease, Dr. Hendifar said. A recent study in Clinical and Translational Gastroenterology found that among people who had acute pancreatitis, 24% had lost over 10% of their body weight a year after their illness.
Losing weight for seemingly no reason is not unique to pancreas problems; it’s also a symptom that could signal a thyroid problem or another health condition. But whatever the cause, it’s worth making an appointment with your physician to further investigate.
—Additional reporting by the Editors of Prevention
This story was originally published in 2016 but has since been updated.
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