© 2005-2012 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). All
rights reserved worldwide. People with pancreatic cancer may
experience the following symptoms or signs. Sometimes, people
with pancreatic cancer do not show any of these symptoms. Or,
these symptoms may be caused by a medical condition that is not
cancer. If you are concerned about a symptom or sign on this
list, please talk with your doctor. Doctors often refer to
pancreatic cancer as a silent disease because there are not many
noticeable symptoms early on. When there are symptoms, they are
similar to the symptoms of other medical conditions, such as
ulcers or pancreatitis (see Risk Factors). Also, there are
currently no blood tests that can reliably find the cancer when
it is in an early stage. As the cancer grows, symptoms may
include: - Yellow skin and eyes, darkening of the urine,
itching, and clay-colored stool, which are signs of obstructive
jaundice (blockage of the bile ducts) - Pain in upper abdomen or
upper back - Painful swelling of an