Successful treatment of therapy-resistant pancreatic cholera with human leucocyte interferon.
The pancreatic cholera syndrome is a serious and potentially fatal disease found in patients with endocrine pancreatic tumours and ganglioneuromas. Two patients with therapy-resistant pancreatic cholera syndrome were successfully treated with human leucocyte interferon given intramuscularly in a dose of 3 X 10(6)-6 X 10(6) IU per day. This produced a reduction in stool volume and plasma vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) within 3-5 days of the start of treatment. Tumour mass decreased in one of the patients after 3 months of treatment but some tumour tissue remained after 15 months' observation, although circulating concentrations of VIP are normal. The mechanisms of action of interferon are not known but a direct inhibition of tumour-cell hormone production and perhaps of tumour-cell proliferation might account for the rapid clinical response.
Oberg
K
K
Alm
G
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Lindström
H
H
Lundqvist
G
G
D007516:Adenoma, Islet Cell / Q000628:therapy*; D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000097:blood; D003969:Vipoma / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*
D007370:Interferon Type I; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide