Leg signs could be ‘clue’ of cancer that kills 10,000 Brits a year

Health experts are urging people to look out for four signs in the leg that could indicate a deadly disease that kills almost 10,000 Brits every year. Though it might seem unlikely, the first symptom of pancreatic cancer could appear in the limbs. 

According to health bodies, pancreatic cancer – which is the fifth most common cause of cancer death in the UK – can lead to a condition known as deep vein thrombosis, or DVT. This occurs when a blood clot forms in a large vein, often in the leg.

The American Cancer Society said: “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.”

It listed four signs of DVT as pain, swelling, redness, and warmth in the affected leg.

In some cases a piece of the clot can “break off and travel to the lungs, which might make it hard to breathe or cause chest pain”. 

A blood clot in the lungs is called a pulmonary embolism and is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment. Experts at Pancreatic Cancer UK explained that people with pancreatic cancer are at “higher risk of a blood clot forming in a vein”. 

They said: “There is a higher risk of getting a blood clot if you have cancer. If you have pancreatic cancer the risk is even higher, and people with advanced (metastatic) pancreatic cancer are more at risk.”

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There are many reasons for this including:

  • The cancer itself
  • Some cancer treatments, such as some chemotherapy drugs or surgery to remove the cancer
  • Moving around less after surgery or treatment.

However, cancer is not the only risk factor for blood clots. Your risk may also be higher if you:

  • Have an inherited condition that makes blood clots more likely, such as Factor V Leiden
  • Use hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or a contraceptive pill that contains oestrogen
  • Have varicose veins (swollen veins)
  • Have had a blood clot before, or a close relative has
  • Are over 60
  • Are obese, or you smoke

Other symptoms

Pancreatic cancer is a cancer that’s found anywhere in the pancreas, an organ in the top part of your tummy. It helps you digest your food and makes hormones, such as insulin.

Your symptoms will depend on a number of things including where the cancer is in the pancreas, how big it is, if it has spread and your general health. The NHS warns that pancreatic cancer may not have any symptoms, or they might be hard to spot.

Symptoms of pancreatic cancer can include:

  • The whites of your eyes or your skin turn yellow (jaundice), and you may also have itchy skin, darker pee and paler poo than usual
  • Loss of appetite or losing weight without trying to
  • Feeling tired or having no energy
  • A high temperature, or feeling hot or shivery

Other symptoms can affect your digestion, such as:

  • Feeling or being sick
  • Diarrhoea or constipation, or other changes in your poo
  • Pain at the top part of your tummy and your back, which may feel worse when you’re Eating or lying down and better when you lean forward
  • Symptoms of indigestion, such as feeling bloated

If you experience any unexplained symptoms you should speak to your GP. 

Figures from Cancer Research UK show that pancreatic cancer kills 9,600 people in the UK every year.

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