Pancreatic cancer is a silent and very deadly enemy. Although it represents only 1% of cases of tumors registered in Brazil, it is the cause of 5% of deaths from cancer, according to data from the National Cancer Institute (Inca).
The high mortality rate of the disease is directly related to the difficulty of identifying it in the initial phase. As it is an organ involved in the middle of the digestive process, the symptoms are only perceived when they are more intense, such as severe pain in the back and abdomen.
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Another difficulty for the diagnosis is that some of the most common symptoms – such as weakness, weight loss and lack of appetite – are part of the picture of several other diseases.
Jaundice, when the eyes and palms of the hands take on a yellow-green tinge, is also a worrying symptom of a malfunctioning pancreas, but it also usually appears when the condition is advanced.
bathroom alert
A routine that should be incorporated by people and can help diagnose pancreatic cancer is to observe the stool in the bathroom. If they don’t go down the drain easily or have an abnormally unpleasant smell, it’s worth consulting a doctor.
“When the pancreas is dysfunctional, signs of poor digestion appear, such as steatorrhea, which is the presence of poorly digested fat in the stool”, says oncologist Gustavo Fernandes, director of Oncology – Dasa.
Fat alters both the density and odor of the stool, making it float and smell strong. “It is a symptom that needs to be investigated, although it is not one of the most common at the beginning of the disease”, explains the doctor.
The oncologist adds that the presence of a tumor can also cause changes in the color of the stool. “As the tumor usually obstructs the output of bile into the intestine, it is common for acholia to occur, when the stools become more whitish”, he concludes.
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The post Stool smell can indicate pancreatic cancer. Learn signs first appeared on Metropolises.
