Many people think of “cancer” when they hear the word “pancreas,” and pancreatic cancer has the lowest 5-year survival rate among cancers. Pancreatic cancer can be difficult to detect early, according to Andrew Hendifar, MD, associate director of pancreatic cancer research at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. The pancreas, a long flat organ located deep in the abdomen, produces enzymes and hormones that aid in digestion. Symptoms related to the pancreas may be too far away, but there are key warning signs that you should talk to your doctor about. Here are five of them.

Unusual stools: Light-colored, spongy stools indicate poor absorption of nutrients. The pancreas produces enzymes that help digest fat and absorb fat-soluble vitamins such as A, E, and K. When the pancreas is not functioning properly, the stool may be light, loose, oily or greasy. If these symptoms occur frequently in your bowel movements, it’s important to let your doctor know.