This change to your skin can be a sign you have one of the deadliest cancers
About 67,400 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this year, and nearly 52,000 will die from it, according to American Cancer Society estimates.
The highly aggressive disease develops from abnormal cell growth within the pancreas, a vital organ that plays a crucial role in digestion and blood sugar regulation.
It's one of the deadliest cancers — only 13% of pancreatic cancer patients live five years after diagnosis — because early detection is so difficult.
'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,' Dr. Diane Simeone, director of Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego Health, told The Post.
Jaundice — the yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes — is a sign of pancreatic cancer that's more distinctive. Simeone highlights why many patients get this sneaky symptom — and why screening is so important.
What is jaundice?
Jaundice occurs when the blood has excess bilirubin, a yellowish substance that's produced when the body breaks down old red blood cells.
The liver is most responsible for eliminating bilirubin.
A tumor blocking the bile ducts or affecting the liver's function can prevent the proper processing of bilirubin, causing the pigment to accumulate.
The yellowing of the whites of the eyes is often the first noticeable sign — the skin and the inside of the mouth may turn yellow as well.
Jaundice can also cause dark urine, pale poop and sometimes itchy skin and stomach pain.
'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.'
Stomach pain can be felt from a tumor obstructing the bile duct.
Jaundice can signal pancreatic cancer — and what else?
Elevated levels of bilirubin often indicate liver troubles. Hepatitis (inflammation of the liver), cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) and liver cancer can be culprits.
Other suspects include gallstones in the bile duct, certain blood disorders, viral or bacterial infections, some medications and genetic conditions. Newborns can experience jaundice because their liver isn't fully developed.
With pancreatic cancer, jaundice is a common symptom when the tumor is in the head of the pancreas, blocking the common bile duct.
How is pancreatic cancer diagnosed?
Pancreatic cancer screening is generally recommended for those with a family history of the disease, genetic mutations linked to a higher risk and pancreatic conditions like chronic pancreatitis.
MRIs, CT scans and endoscopic ultrasounds visualize the pancreas and surrounding areas to see if there's a tumor.
If one is detected, a tissue or cell sample is taken to determine if it's cancerous and, if so, the stage of the cancer.
'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 Cancer Antigen 19-9, a protein that can be released by pancreatic cancer cells into the bloodstream.
Simeone is the founding director of the Pancreatic Cancer Early Detection Consortium, known as PRECEDE, which is studying over 9,500 high-risk individuals to improve early detection of pancreatic cancer.
The goal is to increase the five-year survival rate from 13% to 50% through collaborative research, standardization of screening protocols and development of early detection tools.
'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.'
How is pancreatic cancer treated?
Depending on when the cancer is caught, treatment options may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy and palliative care.
'Surgical resection [to remove the tumor] is typically only an effective option before the cancer has spread,' Simeone said.
'This is precisely why early detection is so important and PRECEDE's primary mission and focus.'
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