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Ashima Sharda Mahindra • 19 Nov 2024

Unmissable Signs In Your Leg That Could Be the First Clue Of the Cancer That Affects More Than 13 Percent Indians

Pancreatic cancer is also resistant to many common cancer drugs, making it notoriously difficult to treat

Experts are urging people to not miss a few subtle signs in their legs that could indicate a dangerous disease that affects more than 13 per cent of people across India. Doctors say even though it may seem unlikely, the first symptom of pancreatic cancer could appear in the limbs.
Pancreatic cancer, a type of cancer that forms in the pancreas - the organ that produces enzymes and hormones to help digest food and manage blood sugar, has a 5-year survival rate of 5–15 per cent and an overall survival rate of 6 per cent.
Early-stage pancreatic tumours do not show up on imaging tests. For this reason, many people do not receive a diagnosis until the cancer has metastasized. Pancreatic cancer is also resistant to many common cancer drugs, making it notoriously difficult to treat.

Deep vein thrombosis causes pancreatic cancer

Doctors say it leads to a condition known as deep vein thrombosis or DVT, which occurs when a blood clot forms in a large vein, often in the leg. According to the American Cancer Society, “Sometimes, the first clue that someone has pancreatic cancer is a blood clot in a large vein, often in the leg. This is called a deep vein thrombosis or DVT.”
The four major signs of DVT are:
  • Severe pain
  • Swelling
  • Redness
  • Warmth in the affected leg
Pancreatic cancer can cause DVT, which can occur in veins near the pancreas like splenic or portal veins. When a piece of the clot breaks off and travels to the lungs, it also causes pulmonary embolism – another life-threatening illness.

What are the other symptoms of pancreatic cancer?

Doctors say, other than DVT, there are no other early signs of pancreatic cancer, and the symptoms usually emerge once the tumour in the pancreas begins to grow and starts impacting other organs in your digestive system. These include:
  • Jaundice
  • Dark urine
  • Light coloured stool
  • Pain in the upper abdomen
  • Pain in your back
  • Extreme tiredness and fatigue
  • Itchy skin
  • Gas or bloating
  • Lack of appetite
  • Blood clots
  • Unexpected weight loss
  • Early-onset diabetes
According to experts, they may suspect pancreatic cancer if you have recently developed diabetes or pancreatitis - a painful condition due to inflammation in your pancreas.

What causes pancreatic cancer?

A few risk factors that increase the chances of you getting this cancer include:
  • Smoking cigarettes, cigars, and other forms of tobacco
  • Obesity and weight gain
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Exposure to certain chemicals, like pesticides and petrochemicals.
  • Chronic pancreatitis is a permanent inflammation of your pancreas
  • Hereditary syndromes with mutations in your genes like BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes passed from biological parent to child
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