Steatorrhea + Abdominal pain + Gastric reflux = Pancreatic Cancer?

Hi all,

I'm extremely worried because of my symptoms and looking for an answer on the web doesn't help at all. I now start thinking I may have pancreatic cancer.

Here is the list of my symptoms:
- Steatorrhea (fat yellow stools)
- Abdominal pain: like a knife stab, localised and slightly on the left just below the stomach
- Back pain (probably related to the abdominal pain): localised and very sharp
- Loss of appetite
- Gastric reflux
- Nausea

If I start to google these symptoms, I always get Pancreatic Cancer... It's quite scary!

I saw my doctor who told me it was basically stress and anxiety and I didn't have to worry too much since I don't have a jaundice and I don't fit the profile...

I'm a male, 30 years old.
Don't drink, Don't smoke.

I got some x-ray of my abdomen and the usual blood work (for hepatitis etc...). Everything came back normal.

My doctor claims a scanner would be useless since it can't be pancreatic cancer. I'm in France and all the medical expenses are reimbursed by the government therefore they have an incentive to be cheap with tests and medical processes. We can't sue doctors here :p


Any help or advices would be greatly appreciated...

Thank you.

[msevdolls]

HI, PLEASE get a CT SCAN with and without contrast.  Demand it from your Dr.  If he refuses get a second opinion.  
   I am 51 female, don't drink or smoke, and have a tumor in the head of my pancreas.  I am having an EUS done with a biopsy on the 21st. It is small.  All I know, is that I want it biopsied so I can get on with my life.
    I have weird pains that come and go, horrific reflux, I don;t have a gallbladder so I already have digestion problems.  Bowels had changed too.  
    Go see a Gastric Dr. and demand what you feel you need.  Be assertive in your own heath.
   Good luck,
Michele

[Christopher R Watters, MD]

Your physician is right. Cancer would be a remote possibility. Where he is wrong is that there is a problem without a diagnosis. Saying that you don't have hepatitis is great but does nothing to answer the question. He could also rule out a brain tumor but you would still have the problem. A contrasted CT scan would be an appropriate initial test to evaluate your complaints. Stool studies looking for malabsorption of fat would also be appropriate. Based on these findings, additional workup should be apparent.