Doctor warns 'pain' in two areas can be sign of 'most feared cancer'

A doctor has listed some symptoms of what he described as the "most feared" form of cancer.

Dr Lott, an acupuncturist from New York City, regularly shares health advice on TikTok where he boasts more than 300,000 followers. In one of his videos, he explained how followers had been messaging him "concerned about one specific type of cancer".

He said this "most feared" form of the disease is pancreatic cancer. According to University of Utah Health, only about 8.5% of patients with pancreatic cancer are alive five years after their diagnosis - making it one of the deadliest forms of the disease.

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There's no routine screening test for pancreatic cancer, and early diagnosis can be tricky. These concerns led Dr Lott to list "some of the basic symptoms that can lead a person to see a doctor, relative to this type of cancer".

He explained that, due to the location of the pancreas, both "back pain" and "abdominal pain" can be symptoms. According to the NHS, this pain "may feel worse when you're eating or lying down and better when you lean forward".

Dr Lott also mentioned "dry itchy skin that's yellow" as well as "the whites of your eyes beginning to yellow". This is jaundice, and it can occur when a tumour in the head of the pancreas blocks the bile duct.

Another symptom he mentioned was the development of diabetes "later in life, in your 40s and 50s". "Nausea and vomiting" are also symptoms, as Dr Lott explained: "Because pancreatic cancer disrupts and sometimes blocks the digestive tract." He ended his video by telling people to see their doctor if they are experiencing any of these symptoms.

The NHS says 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

• 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

The NHS recommends you ask for an urgent GP appointment of the whites if your eyes or your skin turn yellow, you're being sick for more than two days, or if you have diarrhoea for more than seven days. The NHS website adds: "Some of these symptoms are very common and can be caused by other conditions. Having the symptoms does not definitely mean you have pancreatic cancer, but it's important to get checked by a GP."