Wednesday, March 24, 2010
I'm thirsty!
A middle aged female present to the office with excessive thirst and urination for the past month and a half. She did not have any kind of change in diet and no diarrhea. Test showed a slight excess in plasma glucose and glucagon. Upon exam, she presented with erythematous necrotizing skin on both legs. The physician sent away for radiologic studies which showed a tumor in the pancreas. What pancreatic cell is the most likely origin of the tumor cells?
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This most likely a glucagon producing tumor in the pancreas, a glucagonoma. These tumors form in the alpha cells of the islets of Langerhans in the pancrease. 50-80% of these tumors are cancerous. Glucagonomas will be found on CT.
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