Metastatic Insulinoma in a Patient with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are extremely rare, and although insulinomas are the commonest, less than 10% of insulinomas are malignant. Most patients with insulinomas present with neuroglycopenic symptoms and weight gain attributable to insulin excess. Here, we report a case where a 67-y...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Noormuhammad Oosman Abbasakoor, Marie Louise Healy, Donal O'Shea, Donal Maguire, Cian Muldoon, Kieran Sheahan, Dermot O'Toole
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2011-01-01
Series:International Journal of Endocrinology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2011/124078
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Summary:Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are extremely rare, and although insulinomas are the commonest, less than 10% of insulinomas are malignant. Most patients with insulinomas present with neuroglycopenic symptoms and weight gain attributable to insulin excess. Here, we report a case where a 67-year-old lady with a background history of type 2 diabetes mellitus and breakthrough hyperinsulinism who presented with coma. The biochemical profile revealed features typical of insulinoma, and CT and endosonography confirmed a pancreatic tumor with large volume right-sided liver metastases (biopsy confirming a neuroendocrine tumor). The patient underwent successful one-step RO surgical resection, distal pancreatectomy, splenectomy, and right hepatectomy, and 9 months postoperatively, she remains free of recurrent disease. She remains a diabetic.
ISSN:1687-8337
1687-8345