Pancreatic polypeptide-producing tumors. Report on two cases.
Histochemical, chemical and clinical features of two malignant endocrine pancreatic tumors were studied. Both tumors contained pancreatic polypeptide (PP)-immunoreactivity in the majority of tumor cells. In addition, one tumor contained a few scattered serotonin-fluorescent cells and the other scattered gastrin-immunoreactive cells. Pancreatic polypeptide hypersecretion was established from both tumors. Serotonin was produced by one tumor and gastrin was secreted by the other. No PP-associated endocrine symptoms were present, whereas the hypergastrinemia may have caused a bleeding duodenal ulcer in one patient. Although both tumors were highly malignant the clinical courses in the two patients were very different; one patient died within a few months whereas the other is alive 2 years after the diagnosis.
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005755:Gastrins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D010191:Pancreatic Polypeptide / Q000378:metabolism*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism
D005755:Gastrins; D012701:Serotonin; D010191:Pancreatic Polypeptide