Bilirubin

Bilirubin - A substance formed by the breaking down of red blood cells. Bilirubin is the part of the bile (a digestive fluid made by the liver, stored in the gallbladder, and excreted into the small intestine) that gives bile its yellowish-red color. Too much bilirubin in the system is the cause of jaundice (a condition in which the skin and whites of the eyes become yellow and urine darkens). Jaundice is a symptom of some cancers such as pancreatic cancer, gallbladder cancer, liver cancer, colon cancer, and bile duct cancer.

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