Legendary music producer Quincy Jones passed away earlier this month at the age of 91 but it was initially unknown what had caused his death.

It has now been revealed that Jones died from pancreatic cancer, per a leaked copy of his death certificate, according to the Daily Mail.

Yet, it has not been disclosed when the icon of the music industry was first diagnosed with the disease or what sort of treatment he may have undergone to deal with the terminal affliction.

Pancreatic cancer

Celebrity gossip site TMZ reported on Wednesday that it had obtained a copy of Jones' death certificate from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health that included a determination on the musical genius' cause of death.

Per that certificate, the official cause of death for Jones was pancreatic cancer, and there were no other contributing factors listed.

According to the National Institute of Health, pancreatic cancer was the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in the country in 2024, or about 8% of all cancer deaths, and took the lives of nearly 52,000 American men and women.

Per the Cleveland Clinic, pancreatic cancer has a low survival rate compared to other forms of cancer because it is typically difficult to detect in the early stages, as it only causes vague symptoms that can be attributable to other less severe conditions and often isn't discovered or diagnosed until it has metastasized and spread to other areas of the body.

That form of cancer also tends to be resistant to common cancer treatments and can be difficult to manage, and is projected to become the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. by 2030.

A devastating disease

The Los Angeles Times reported that pancreatic cancer has been dubbed the "silent killer" among all forms of cancer because of its notorious difficulty in being detected and treated.

Quincy Jones is far from alone in becoming another victim of the aggressive disease, as that cancer also claimed the lives of several other major stars and important public figures.

That includes Hollywood actor Patrick Swayze, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, soul singer Aretha Franklin, NASA astronaut Sally Ride, liberal icon Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, "Jeopardy" host Alex Trebek, and daytime talk show host Jerry Springer, among others.

Private funeral for the family held over the weekend

The Times noted that Jones was laid to rest on Sunday during a private funeral service for his family. A public memorial service is reportedly in the planning phase, but no date has been set for that event yet.

Shortly after his death, a touching tribute was posted on Instagram by one of his daughters, actress Rashida Jones, who wrote in part that her beloved father "was a giant. An icon. A culture shifter. A genius," and further noted, "He WAS love. He made everyone he ever met feel loved and seen. That’s his legacy."

"I was fortunate enough to experience this love in close proximity. I’ll miss his hugs and kisses and unconditional devotion and advice," she added. "Daddy, it is an honor to be your daughter. Your love lives forever."