4. Yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes (Jaundice)
Jaundice is a medical term that refers to a condition wherein a person’s skin and eyes (particularly the sclera or the white portion of the eyeballs) become yellowish. While jaundice usually affects people with hepatitis, gallstones and other conditions of the liver and gallbladder, it can also be a sign of pancreatic cancer.
When red blood cells breakdown, a yellowish-orange pigment called bilirubin is produced. This pigment is excreted from the body in any of two ways: via urine in the form of urobilinogen which gives pee that yellow color; or via stool in the form of stercobilinogen which gives feces its brown color. However, before bilirubin is excreted via stool, it first becomes metabolized by the liver into bile which is then stored in the gallbladder prior to being released into the gut via the common bile duct
As the pancreatic tumor grows, it presses on and impinges the common bile duct (the passageway of bile), causing blockage, preventing bile from being released into the gut. This causes bilirubin to build up in the bloodstream since the liver and gallbladder are now backed-up. The excess bilirubin in the blood then leaks into surrounding tissues, causing the yellow tinge in the skin and eyes.
When you notice a yellowing of the skin or the whites of your eyes, make sure to see a doctor immediately so that you can be evaluated as to what is causing it in the first place.
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