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By the time a patient is in the final stage of pancreatic cancer, the cancer is no longer confined to the pancreas. By this time it has metasticized or spread to the liver and the digestive organs as well as the lymphatic system. The patient is typically in a lot of pain. They will probably be delerious,their skin and eyes will be jaundiced or yellow because the liver is no longer able to filter bilirubin out of the blood. The patients blood sugar will skyrocket as the pancreas produces insulin and at this point can no longer do so. They will probably be on an insulin infusion. They will have an nasogastric tube in place to drain the stomach contents, they will need hi flow oxygen by mask or cannula. They will be in multisystem failure, renal failure and will be edematous. The treatment at this point will probably be comfort measures only. Hope this answers your question.....

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This of course will vary from case to case. Symptomw will vary according to what organs are involved and is also determined by the medication the patient is recieving.. but here are some possible symptoms:

Nausea, vomiting; change in bowel habits (pain medication can cause constipation.. but diarrhea is also a problem); possible bowel obstruction; weight loss and muscle wasting; fatigue; weakness; depression; anxiety; anemia; infection, electrolyte imbalance and dehydration.   

If the bile duct is obstructed this can lead to blood coagulation problems, kidney failure, jaundice and skin itching (pruritis).

For more info here is a site that may help (there is a lot of medical speak) http://www.pancreatica.org/   

thank you so much for answering my question. if anyone can answer this question it would really be helpful. a year ago he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, he has gotten the chemo and radiation and after that the doctor said the tumor had shrunk and detached. about three weeks ago he started having violent stomache pains and just a few days ago went to the hospital. they ran every kind of test imaginable and found an ulcer that they said wasnt causing the pain, they also found spots on his liver. im not sure what to make of this and i am worrying what is going to happen. he doesnt have jaundice, high blood pressure or really any of the other things mentioned. he does have a problem moving his bowels and is occasionally throwing up.

Unfortunately the cancer may have spread to the liver.. this is not uncommon. More testing will need to be done as I am sure the physician has informed you.. but this is very probable.

does that mean that there is nothing that can be done now? i just want to know because no one wants to tell me or my family anything.

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Well today we went back to the hospital and I was wondering what it meant when the doctor said he wanted to do a procedure that blocks the nerve? I am wondering what that means, does that mean it the only thing they can do and that it the last option?

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