Will the routine blood test be abnormal for pancreatic cancer?

Written by Yan Chun
Oncology
Updated on May 22, 2025
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Pancreatic cancer is a malignant tumor of the digestive system. In the early stages, most pancreatic cancer patients generally have normal routine blood test indicators and show no abnormalities. This is because the early lesions are localized, without invasion or metastasis, and therefore have minimal impact on the overall body, not causing abnormalities in routine blood test indicators. As the disease progresses, patients in the middle and late stages of pancreatic cancer often exhibit abnormalities in routine blood test indicators, mainly manifested as abnormalities in hemoglobin levels. Patients experience mild, moderate, or severe anemia. Some patients may also have metastasis to the bone marrow, liver, spleen, etc. Clinically, there can also be a decrease in white blood cells and platelets. Due to the impact of pancreatic cancer lesions on liver function, there can also be abnormalities in coagulation function.

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Is there still a cure for pancreatic cancer with liver metastasis?

Pancreatic cancer with liver metastasis is considered to be in the advanced stage, but some patients can still benefit from treatment in terms of survival. They can choose chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and oral anti-angiogenesis medications, among others. The choice of specific medications should take into account the patient's overall condition and various other factors. The effectiveness of the treatment varies from person to person; some patients may benefit from the treatment, while others may not see significant improvement, but these options are still worth considering.

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What department should pancreatic cancer patients see?

For the treatment of pancreatic cancer, if it is in the early stages and the surgeons assess that surgery is feasible, surgical treatment is the main approach. If surgery is not feasible according to the surgeon's assessment, or if the cancer is found at an advanced stage without the opportunity for surgery, then the treatment involves chemotherapy or some symptomatic supportive treatments. Therefore, patients at their first consultation should initially visit the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery to see if surgery is possible, and then consult the Department of Oncology for further treatment steps, especially for patients who do not have the opportunity for surgery, who need to visit the Department of Oncology.

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What are the symptoms of pancreatic cancer?

The clinical manifestations of pancreatic cancer mainly depend on the location of the cancer, the stage of the disease, whether there is metastasis, and the involvement of adjacent organs. The clinical characteristics include a short disease course, rapid progression, and swift deterioration. The most common symptom is upper abdominal distension and discomfort, pain, though not all patients experience tenderness; if tenderness is present, it aligns with the area of pain felt. Pain is a primary symptom of pancreatic cancer, present whether the cancer is located in the head or the body/tail of the pancreas. Jaundice is a main symptom of cancer in the head of the pancreas, and patients often exhibit more severe gastrointestinal symptoms, most commonly loss of appetite, followed by nausea and vomiting. There might also be diarrhea or constipation, even melena. Diarrhea is often steatorrhea. In the early stages of pancreatic cancer, common symptoms include weight loss and fatigue.

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Oncology
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What are the precursors of pancreatic cancer?

Pancreatic cancer is a malignant tumor that occurs in the digestive system clinically. Due to the hidden location of the pancreas, early symptoms of pancreatic cancer are generally not obvious. When individuals with a family history of pancreatic cancer exhibit unexplained fatigue or abdominal discomfort, or rapidly progressive jaundice symptoms in a short period, and if patients also have diseases such as diabetes, the possibility of pancreatic cancer should be considered. An abdominal CT scan, MRI, and other radiological examinations should be completed quickly. For identified pancreatic space-occupying lesions, early biopsy through puncture or direct exploratory laparotomy should be performed as soon as possible for treatment.

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Written by Yan Chun
Oncology
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Does pancreatic cancer cause bloody stools?

Patients with pancreatic cancer may exhibit clinical symptoms of bloody stools, and the possible causes are as follows: First, the lesion of pancreatic cancer invades organs and tissues such as the gastrointestinal tract, causing damage to the mucous membranes, which clinically results in bloody stools. Second, if the pancreatic cancer metastasizes to the liver, liver function is impaired. Some patients may develop hyperactive splenic function, leading to a decline in platelet counts. When platelet levels drop to a certain extent, spontaneous visceral bleeding can occur, which may also manifest as bloody stools clinically. Third, in the late stages of pancreatic cancer, the disease may cause metastasis to multiple organs, leading to the complication of disseminated intravascular coagulation. This results in impaired coagulation function, making gastrointestinal bleeding likely, which is also clinically manifested as bloody stools.