Glucagonoma presenting as necrolytic migratory erythema in a long-standing type II diabetic patient

ABSTRACT

We report a case of glucagonoma in a 60-year old diabetic lady who was seen by a dermatologist for a superficial erythematous skin eruption with flaccid bullae over both legs of recent onset. These findings warranted further investigations that revealed a pancreatic mass lesion involving the distal body and tail with three metastatic deposits within the right lobe of the liver. Distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy were performed and histological examination of the excised specimen confirmed the diagnosis of pancreatic glucagonoma with liver metastasis. Blood sugar levels became more controlled postoperatively. The skin lesion disappeared completely six months after surgery. The lady enjoys fairly good health, and is maintained on Somatostatin analogues for control of metastasis that are stable after 18 months of follow up