title: Multiple hormone producing islet cell carcinomas of the pancreas. A morphological and biochemical investigation.
abstract: Biochemical, light, and electron microscopic studies of two multiple hormone producing metastic islet cell carcinomas of the pancreas are presented. Both tumors initially produced symptoms referable to a single hormone and over a period of years produced two other endocrine active polypeptides. The tumor in case 1 had been studied electron microscopically six years previously and had demonstrated no significant ultrastructural changes since then. The tumor in case 2 contained secretory granules of markedly varying size and density, suggesting a formation of packaged precursor molecules of possibly all three hormones. The pathogenesis of these tumors is discussed in light of recent evidence concerning the origin of endocrine cells.
mesh_terms: D007516:Adenoma, Islet Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D009384:Paraneoplastic Endocrine Syndromes / Q000473:pathology*