A patient with vague epigastric pain, jaundice, and a non-tender gallbladder is most likely to have which diagnosis?

The correct diagnosis for a patient presenting with vague epigastric pain, jaundice, and a non-tender gallbladder is pancreatic cancer. This presentation aligns well with the potential obstruction of the biliary tree caused by a mass in the pancreas, which can lead to both jaundice and epigastric pain. The presence of a non-tender gallbladder in this context suggests that the gallbladder is not inflamed or obstructed but rather that the jaundice is likely due to extrahepatic bile duct obstruction, often associated with pancreatic cancer, particularly when lesions, such as a pancreatic head tumor, compress the common bile duct.

The vague nature of the pain, along with jaundice, forms a classic triad that points toward the malignancy affecting the bile ducts and potentially leading to obstructive jaundice. Other options do not fit this clinical picture as appropriately. For instance, viral hepatitis would generally present differently, often with tenderness in the right upper quadrant and would not typically present with a non-tender gallbladder. Acute cholecystitis usually presents with severe pain and tenderness, signifying an inflamed gallbladder. Gilbert's syndrome, which is a benign condition often leading to mild, unconjugated