Bloating accompanied by pain and discomfort and feeling full quickly when you eat can be a sign of pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer can trigger these symptoms when ascites happens. Ascites is a build up of fluid in the abdomen.

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• Stomach bloating: It could be a sign of this serious condition

Pancreatic Cancer UK explains: “Pancreatic cancer can sometimes cause fluid to build up in the tummy area (abdomen). This is called ascites, and it can cause pain and discomfort.

“You may have swelling in your tummy and you may feel full quickly when you eat.

“You might find it harder to move around and may get breathless, even when you are lying down.

“You may find it difficult to get comfortable when lying down, and find it uncomfortable to lie on your side. If you have any of these symptoms, tell your doctor or nurse.”

The charity advises the fluid may be drained off to make a pancreatic cancer patient feel more comfortable.

It adds: “Sometimes ascites may also be treated with medication called a diuretic. This may help reduce the fluid, although it doesn’t always make a big difference.”

A person with pancreatic cancer may also experience oedema, which is a build up of fluid in the legs and feet.

Pancreatic Cancer UK adds: “Sometimes ascites may also be treated with medication called a diuretic. This may help reduce the fluid, although it doesn’t always make a big difference.”

Other symptoms of pancreatic cancer

The main symptoms of pancreatic cancer are listed by the NHS as:

• Skin or the whites of the eyes turning yellow (jaundice). 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 are eating or lying down and better when you lean forward
• Symptoms of indigestion, such as feeling bloated

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• Stomach bloating: Signs your bloating could be something more serious

If you experience any of the symptoms above you should contact your GP.

Other causes of bloating

Pain and bloating aren’t always signs of cancer;

Patient.info explains: “Everybody has gas-related symptoms from time to time. In most cases, this is part of the natural working of the body and the symptoms soon pass.

“Some people complain they are feeling bloated all the time.”

Some of the causes of bloating include:

• Swallowing too much air
• Eating foods which are well known to cause excessive wind in the gut, such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, starchy foods like potatoes, corn and noodles, and foods high in soluble fibre like fruit, peas and beans
• Lactose intolerance
• Intolerance to food sugars
• Certain medicines
• A number of conditions can also cause bloating:
• Coeliac disease
• Inflammatory bowel diseases
• Diverticulitis
• Short bowel syndrome
• Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth

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