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Key Symptoms Often Overlooked
Before looking at the symptoms, it helps to understand the pancreas itself. The pancreas is a long, flat organ located deep in the abdomen, behind the stomach and near the small intestine. It helps digest food by producing enzymes and regulates blood sugar by releasing hormones such as insulin. Because the pancreas supports both digestion and blood sugar control and sits close to many other organs, pancreatic cancer can cause symptoms that seem unrelated but occur at the same time.
1. Unexplained Weight Loss
According to Dr. Shanel Bhagwandin, program director of the National Pancreas Foundation Pancreatic Cancer Center of Excellence at Jupiter Medical Center, unintentional weight loss, even as little as five to 10 pounds, can be an early warning sign, driven by early metabolic changes triggered by the tumor.
