A subtle skin change can be a sign of something quite sinister, as it could be a symptom of a deadly form of cancer.
This year alone, an estimated 67,400 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and around 52,000 will lose their lives to it, according to the American Cancer Society.
That’s a poor survival rate — only about 13% of patients live five years beyond their diagnosis.
But what makes pancreatic cancer so dangerous isn’t just how fast it spreads — it’s how hard it is to catch.
“The pancreas is hidden deep in the abdomen, and early symptoms, such as back pain, fatigue, weight loss or digestive discomfort, are vague and often mistaken for other, less serious conditions,” said Dr. Diane Simeone, director of Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego Health, per the New York Post.
One symptom that stands out — and should never be ignored — is jaundice: a yellowing of the skin and eyes.
According to Simeone, this can often be the first major sign that something is seriously wrong, especially when it comes to tumors in the head of the pancreas.
Jaundice happens when the body builds up too much bilirubin, a yellow pigment produced as it breaks down old red blood cells.
Normally, the liver processes and gets rid of it. But when a tumor blocks the bile ducts, that system breaks down — and the effects show up in the mirror.
“The yellowing of the whites of the eyes is often the first noticeable sign,” said Simeone. “The skin and the inside of the mouth may turn yellow as well.”
The symptoms don’t stop there. You might notice dark urine, pale-colored stools, itchy skin, or stomach pain — all caused by the same bilirubin buildup.
“The excess bilirubin is excreted through the kidneys, darkening the urine and preventing it from reaching the intestines, which leads to pale stools,” Simeone explained. “It can also cause itching because the bile acids that are not being excreted normally accumulate in the skin and stimulate nerve endings.”
Jaundice can be triggered by a number of conditions that affect the liver, gallbladder, or blood — including hepatitis, cirrhosis, gallstones, liver cancer, infections, blood disorders, and even certain medications. In newborns, it’s common due to an immature liver.
But when it shows up in adults, especially alongside digestive issues or unexplained weight loss, it’s a red flag worth checking.
Most people aren’t screened for pancreatic cancer unless they fall into a high-risk category — like having a family history, certain genetic mutations, or chronic pancreatic conditions.
If doctors suspect cancer, they’ll typically order imaging like MRI, CT scans, or an endoscopic ultrasound to look for tumors. If they find something suspicious, they’ll take a tissue or cell sample for further testing.
“There are certain blood tests that help in the diagnosis, such as liver function tests, complete blood counts and tumor markers like CA 19-9,” Simeone said, referring to a specific protein often released into the blood by pancreatic cancer cells.
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Simeone is also the founding director of the PRECEDE Consortium — a massive research effort tracking over 9,500 high-risk individuals to find new ways to detect pancreatic cancer earlier and more effectively.
“The mission of PRECEDE is to help identify an early detection biomarker, such as a blood test that can discover the cancer at the earliest possible stage,” she said.
The ultimate goal? To boost the survival rate from 13% to a much more hopeful 50%, through a combination of better screening, research, and earlier intervention.
Once diagnosed, the treatment plan for pancreatic cancer depends heavily on how advanced the disease is. Options can include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and palliative care.
But catching it early is crucial.
“Surgical resection [to remove the tumor] is typically only an effective option before the cancer has spread,” Simeone noted. “This is precisely why early detection is so important and PRECEDE’s primary mission and focus.”