Pancreatic cancer symptoms you should know, and how the disease develops

The disease is rarely found in time for lifesaving treatment, and kills about half a million people annually; here is what to look for

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Deep-seated pain in the upper abdomen can indicate an early-stage tumour in the pancreas. Pancreatic cancer kills about half a million people annually. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 4:15pm, 2 Jan 2025Updated: 5:34pm, 7 Jan 2025

Pancreatic cancer can often be halted, but it is rarely detected in time.

It kills about half a million people every year, and claimed the life of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs in 2011.

In Hong Kong, 889 people died from it in 2021, accounting for 5.9 per cent of all cancer deaths. There were 1,037 new cases registered in 2022. The disease has an average five-year survival rate of less than 10 per cent.

As the largest gland in the human body, the pancreas produces enzymes and hormones that are vital for digestion and metabolism. However, it is also susceptible to disease. The earlier pancreatic cancer is diagnosed, the better the survival rate, doctors say.

The pancreas, the largest gland in the human body, produces enzymes and hormones that are vital for digestion and metabolism. However, it is also susceptible to disease. Photo: Shutterstock

One of the main reasons pancreatic cancer has such a high mortality rate is that it often causes no symptoms until it has spread to other organs, according to the Mayo Clinic in the US state of Minnesota.

The symptoms of pancreatic cancer are non-specific at first, the German Cancer Research Centre says. To add to the confusion, it can trigger symptoms typical of other diseases of the abdomen.