ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the disease of Jaundice. Jaundice causes yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes. In jaundice the patient's urine becomes dark and their bowel motions become pale. The possible causes of jaundice, remembering that there are benign causes as well as those related to cancer: gallstones, Gilbert's disease, hepatitis A, B or C, hepatotoxic drugs, pancreatitis, primary cancer of the ampulla of Vater, pancreas or cholangiocarcinoma and secondary tumour infiltration of the liver. The presence of jaundice in a palliative care setting usually indicates that death is very near. The cause of the jaundice must be determined so that appropriate management can be offered to the patient. The results of chemotherapy and radiotherapy to relieve jaundice in palliative care are usually disappointing. Changes in skin colour can develop and progress very rapidly and may be alarming, especially to younger members of the family.
