Stages and symptoms of pancreatic cancer
Though it is not the most common type of cancer, pancreatic cancer can be quite deadly in its own. It is hard to spot the onset of the disease as it may be a result of several different symptoms which may confuse you of the true nature of the condition. To put it into perspective, the pancreas is an organ that originates horizontally behind the lower portion of the stomach. Cancer originates in the pancreas before spreading to other parts of the body if left untreated. Some of the most common tell-tale signs of the onset of pancreatic cancer are jaundice, upper abdomen pain, and weight loss, all occurring at the same time. Here are a few symptoms of the disease and its stages. Stages of pancreatic cancer There are four distinct stages of pancreatic cancer. They include: Stage 0 It refers to cancer in situ, which means cancer hasn’t grown out of the duct in which it had initiated. Stage 1A A tumor, 2cm or smaller is present in the pancreas. It has not spread to any other part of the body or to the lymph nodes. Stage 1B At this stage, the tumor is larger than 2cm. It has not yet spread to any other part of the body or to the lymph nodes.