Pancreatic islet cell carcinoma producing gastrin, ACTH, alpha-endorphin, somatostatin and calcitonin.
An islet cell carcinoma of the pancreas is described in a 68-year old woman which clinically produced Zollinger-Ellison syndrome and, later in its course, Cushing syndrome. The tumor was found to contain gastrin, ACTH, alpha-endorphin, somatostatin and calcitonin, by the immunoperoxidase technic. Electron microscopy revealed a single tumor cell type containing secretory granules of variable size, morphology and electron density. It appears that a single tumor cell population produced all five hormones and caused a transition in clinical symptomatology, while undergoing no change in morphology.
D007516:Adenoma, Islet Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D000368:Aged; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D003480:Cushing Syndrome / Q000209:etiology; D004723:Endorphins / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005755:Gastrins / Q000378:metabolism; D006729:Hormones, Ectopic / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D009384:Paraneoplastic Endocrine Syndromes / Q000209:etiology*; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000378:metabolism; D015043:Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome / Q000209:etiology
D004723:Endorphins; D005755:Gastrins; D006729:Hormones, Ectopic; D013004:Somatostatin; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D002116:Calcitonin