Population-based study of islet cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: We examine the epidemiology, natural history, and prognostic factors that affect the duration of survival for islet cell carcinoma by using population-based registries. METHODS: The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program database (1973-2003 release, April 2006) was used to identify cases of islet cell carcinoma by histology codes and tumor site. RESULTS: A total of 1310 (619 women and 691 men) cases with a median age of 59 years were identified. The annual age-adjusted incidence in the periods covered by SEER 9 (1973-1991), SEER 13 (1992-1999), and SEER 17 (2000-2003) were .16, .14, and .12 per 100,000, respectively. The estimated 28-year limited duration prevalence on January 1, 2003, in the United States was 2705 cases. Classified by SEER stage, localized, regional, and distant stages corresponded to 14%, 23%, and 54% of cases. The median survival was 38 months. By stage, median survival for patients with localized, regional, and distant disease were 124 (95% CI, 80-168) months, 70 (95% CI, 54-86) months, and 23 (95% CI, 20-26) months, respectively. By multivariate Cox proportional modeling, stage (P < .001), primary tumor location (P = .04), and age at diagnosis (P < .001) were found to be significant predictors of survival. CONCLUSIONS: Islet cell carcinomas account for approximately 1.3% of cancers arising in the pancreas. Most patients have advanced disease at the time of diagnosis. Despite the disease's reputation of being indolent, survival of patients with advanced disease remains only 2 years. Development of novel therapeutic approaches is needed.

Endocrine tumours of the pancreas.

Endocrine pancreatic tumours (EPTs) are uncommon tumours occurring in approximately 1 in 100,000 of the population, representing 1-2% of all pancreatic neoplasms. Some of the tumours may be part of multiple endocrine neoplasia type one (MEN-1) syndrome or von Hippel-Lindau (vHL) disease. EPTs are classified as functioning or non-functioning tumours on the basis of their clinical manifestation. The biochemical diagnosis of EPT is based on hormones and amines released. Besides specific markers such as insulin, there are also general tumour markers such as chromogranin A, which is the most valuable marker and has been reported to be increased in plasma in 50-80% of patients with EPTs and correlates with tumour burden. The location of endocrine tumours of the pancreas includes different techniques, from endoscopic investigations to scintigraphy (e.g. somatostatin receptor scintigraphy) and positron emission tomography. The medical treatment of endocrine pancreatic tumours consists of chemotherapy, somatostatin analogues and alpha-interferon. None of these can cure a patient with malignant disease. In future, therapy will be custom-made and based on current knowledge of tumour biology and molecular genetics.

Rare endocrine tumours of the GI tract.

Functional pancreatic endocrine tumors other than gastrinoma and insulinoma are quite rare. The principles of management include the diagnosis and management of the functional hormonal syndrome, and management of the potentially malignant tumor. Optimally, control of the hormonal syndrome is achieved preoperatively to stabilize the patient status for the operation, however, resection may be an important part of the control of the hormonal syndrome. Ultimately, the only curative treatment for these neoplasms is complete tumour resection, when feasible.

Síndrome del glucagonoma y seudoglucagonoma / Glucagonoma and pseudoglucagonoma syndrome

Introducción. El síndrome del glucagonoma puede ser verdadero -asociado a un tumor pancreático secretor de glucagón- o un seudoglucagonoma, asociado a otro tipo de enfermedad. Es una enfermedad extremadamente infrecuente con una prevalencia actual estimada de 1/20.000.000.Material y métodos. Se ha realizado una revisión retrospectiva de casos de glucagonoma y seudoglucagonoma entre enero de 1998 y diciembre de 2003 en 3 hospitales. Se han tratado 5 casos: 3 con tumoración pancreática demostrable y 2 sin neoplasia asociada. Se han analizado la edad, el sexo, el diagnóstico inicial, los síntomas asociados, las enfermedades concomitantes, los procedimientos diagnósticos de imagen empleados, los datos analíticos existentes, los procedimientos terapéuticos empleados, la cirugía y el seguimiento. Resultados. Se encontró hiperglucemia en todos los casos y elevación de valores de glucagón plasmático. En 3 casos había hipoaminoacidemia y descenso de ácidos grasos totales. No se observaron alteraciones de los valores de cinc. La ultrasonografía abdominal no ofreció resultados concluyentes. La tomografía axial computarizada demostró tumoración pancreática en 3 pacientes que fueron intervenidos, por lo que fue posible la resección curativa. El eritema necrolítico migratorio ha sido la clave diagnóstica en todos los casos. La hiperglucagonemia estaba presente en todos ellos. El tratamiento quirúrgico ha sido curativo con seguimientos de 7, 36 y 56 meses en los casos de glucagonoma verdadero. Conclusiones. La prevalencia real del síndrome del glucagonoma puede ser mayor que la estimada actualmente. En nuestra serie ha sido de 13,5/20.000.000 habitantes/año (AU)

Glucagonoma and pseudoglucagonoma syndrome.

CONTEXT: Glucagonoma syndrome may present either associated with a pancreatic neoplasm which secretes glucagon or as a pseudo-glucagonoma associated with other diseases. It is extremely infrequent but well-known with a current prevalence estimated at 1/20,000,000. DESIGN: A retrospective review of glucagonoma and pseudoglucagonoma cases observed between January 1998 and December 2003 in three hospitals. PATIENTS: Five cases: 3 with a demonstrable glucagon-secreting tumor and 2 cases without an associated neoplasm. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Age, sex, initial diagnosis, associated symptoms, and pathology were analyzed as were procedures employed in diagnosis, imaging studies, laboratory data, surgery and follow-up. RESULTS: Hyperglycemia and elevated plasma glucagon levels were found in all cases. In 3 cases, hypo-aminoacidemia and a descrease in fatty acids were found. No changes of zinc levels were observed. Abdominal ultrasound studies were of no value except in evaluating pancreatitis. A CT-scan was conclusive when a pancreatic neoplasm existed and 3 patients were operated on a curative basis. DISCUSSION: Necrolytic migratory erythema was the key diagnosis in all cases. Surgery was intended to be curative. The follow-up was of 8, 37 and 57 months in the cases of true glucagonoma syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: A real prevalence of glucagonoma syndrome could be greater than currently estimated. In our series, it was 13.5/20,000,000. Pseudoglucagonoma syndrome remains a rarity.

Prevalence, characteristics and prognosis of MEN 1-associated glucagonomas, VIPomas, and somatostatinomas: study from the GTE (Groupe des Tumeurs Endocrines) registry.

UNLABELLED: Few studies have concerned the rare functioning endocrine pancreatic tumors associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN 1). When sporadic, these tumors have a poor prognosis. AIM: To analyze the frequency, characteristics and prognosis of MEN 1-associated glucagonomas, VIPomas and somatostatinomas recorded in the GTE (Groupe des Tumeurs Endocrines) registry. METHODS: Records of the patients whose GTE registry codes included glucagonoma, VIPoma or somatostatinoma were reviewed. The diagnosis was confirmed when there were clinical signs of a functioning tumor and/or when blood levels of the peptide were higher than twice the upper limit of normal. RESULTS: Among 580 patients with MEN 1, duodeno-pancreatic involvement was present in 307 (52.9%). Five (1.6%) had a glucagonoma, 3 (0.98%) a VIPoma and 2 (0.65%) a somatostatinoma. A clinical syndrome was present in 1 patient with glucagonoma, in the 3 with VIPomas and in 1 with somatostatinoma. Tumor size was greater than 3 cm more often for these rare tumours (67%) than in patients with other type of duodeno-pancreatic involvement (28%) (P=0.02) and visceral metastases were more frequent (40% vs 15%; P=0.056). Ten-year survival of patients with glucagonomas, VIPomas or somatostatinomas (53.8%; CI95%: 15.5-92.1) was poorer than that of patients with insulinomas (91.4%; CI95%: 83.399.5; P=0.01) or gastrinomas (81.7%; CI95%: 74.9-88.5; P=0.20) and close to that of patients with non-functioning tumors (62.2%, CI95%: 41.0-83.9; NS). CONCLUSION: Glucagonomas, VIPomas and somatostatinomas, especially the functioning type, are very rare in patients with MEN 1. Prognosis is poor, probably because of large tumor size and high rate of metastasis. Survival is similar to that in patients with non-functioning tumors.

Glucagonomas/diabetico-dermatogenic syndrome (DDS): a statistical evaluation of 407 reported cases.

Of the rare pancreatic endocrinomas, glu-cagonomas, either with or without diabetico-dermatogenic syndrome (DDS), are probably third in frequency after insulinomas and gastrinomas. This study was carried out to evaluate the present status of glucagonoma/DDS in a statistically reliable number of cases and to provide precise information to investigators actively working in this particular field of research. A total of 407 cases of glucagonoma were collected from the international literature and evaluated according to characteristic clinicopathologic features. Findings were: (1) The incidence of DDS was 57.2% (233/407). (2) The tail of the pancreas was predominantly involved, in 53.7% (213/397). (3) One-third of the tumors (80 of 276 for whom size was recorded; 29.0%) measured 20 mm or less. (4) Metastases occurred in 51.4% (209/407) and malignant tumors in 60.7% (247/407). (5) Multiplicity occurred in 11.8% (48/407), and associated multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 in 13. 0% (53/407). (6) In the patients with DDS, the rates of hyperglucagonemia, necrolytic migratory erythema, diabetes mellitus, loss of weight, hypo-aminoacidemia, or anemia, as representative constituents of DDS, were all higher than rates in the overall series (P < 0.01). (7) The 10-year survival rate in the 233 patients with DDS was 51.6% in those with metastases and 64.3% in those without metastases (P < 0.001).

Glucagonoma syndrome is an underdiagnosed clinical entity.

Glucagonomas, considered among the rarest of the islet cell neoplasms, produce a well-defined clinical syndrome characterized by necrolytic migratory erythema, diabetes mellitus, glossitis, anemia, and weight loss. This report describes seven patients with glucagonoma treated at our institution. All seven had the characteristic dermatologic manifestations, present from 1 to 6 years prior to diagnosis. Five patients had extensive disease at the time of initial operation, three of whom underwent aggressive cytoreductive surgery, whereas the other two had biopsy only. The remaining two patients presented with a single nodule each, underwent distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy, and remain free of disease 2 and 6 years postoperatively. Earlier recognition of the distinctive physical findings peculiar to this syndrome should increase survival. Aggressive cytoreductive surgery results in prolonged remission.