Symptoms that may suggest pancreatic cancer are identified

GPs should be alert to the possibility of pancreatic cancer in patients with symptoms such as jaundice, fatigue, change in bowel habit, weight loss, or decreased appetite, particularly in those with diabetes or mental health problems, say researchers in the journal Lancet Gastroenterology and Hepatology.1

Their study, the first to look at symptoms in people before they get pancreatic cancer diagnosed, found no initial warning signs that could help GPs identify pancreatic cancer, but they noted a range of subsequent symptoms that help predict this diagnosis.

Survival from pancreatic cancer is very poor, as less than 5% of patients survive more than …