A Transient Treatable Tumor of the Pancreas

Excerpt

A 64-year-old male was evaluated in the emergency department with a 2-week history of jaundice, dark urine, and pale stools. He also reported a 25 lb. unintentional weight loss over the previous 3 months but had no other symptoms. His medical history included hyperlipidemia, obstructive sleep apnea, and allergic rhinitis; his surgical history and family history were negative. His social history included smoking cigarettes, 1 pack per day for 11 years, but he denied any use of alcohol or illicit drugs. His physical examination was unremarkable apart from scleral icterus and jaundice. At no point had salivary glands been enlarged. …