Common symptom may be an early sign of cancer

Loss of appetite, unexplained fatigue, abdominal discomfort, back pain, and rapid weight loss are often dismissed as minor issues — consequences of stress or overwork. However, these non-specific symptoms may be the first signs of pancreatic cancer, according to researchers whose work was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Pancreatic cancer is considered one of the most aggressive forms of cancer largely due to late diagnosis. In the early stages, the disease either shows almost no symptoms or mimics back pain and unexplained weight loss. This is why, the researchers emphasize, paying close attention to such symptoms can provide a rare time advantage.

The study showed that even at early stages, the tumor activates key molecular mechanisms for growth and survival linked to KRAS gene mutations. This creates a therapeutic window if the disease is detected before it spreads. The authors proposed a triple-targeted approach that simultaneously blocks three signaling pathways used by cancer cells. In experiments on animals and patient tumor models, this combination caused significant tumor regression and prevented the development of drug resistance.

The researchers note that this new therapy is still at the preclinical stage, but the approach changes the way the disease is viewed. If pancreatic cancer is suspected at the stage of back pain and unexplained weight loss, there is a chance to intervene before the tumor becomes nearly untreatable.

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