Hypercalcitoninemia in a sporadic asymptomatic neuroendocrine tumor of the pancreatic tail.
OBJECTIVE
Asymptomatic neuroendocrine tumors of the gastroenteropancreatic tract represent a significant challenge in terms of postoperative monitoring.


METHODS
A case report of a calcitonin-secreting asymptomatic neuroendocrine tumor of the pancreatic tail is presented.


RESULTS
Hypercalcitoninemia was noted in the 76-year-old Caucasian man who had a recurrent neuroendocrine tumor of the pancreatic tail. Upon pentagastrin stimulation, basal calcitonin increased only moderately from 82.3 (<10) to 100.9 and 125 pg/ml after 2 and 5 min, respectively. Surgical removal of the neuroendocrine tumor resulted in postoperative normalization of both basal and stimulated serum calcitonin levels. On immunohistochemistry, the neuroendocrine tumor was positive for calcitonin.


CONCLUSIONS
Routine measurements of serum calcitonin might be a highly sensitive adjunct capable of identifying a subset of neuroendocrine tumors in which calcitonin monitoring may aid in the early detection of postoperative recurrence.
Machens
A
A
Department of General Surgery, Division of Endocrinology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle/Saale, Germany.
Haedecke
J
J
Hinze
R
R
Thomusch
O
O
Schneyer
U
U
Dralle
H
H
D007516:Adenoma, Islet Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D011859:Radiography
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002116:Calcitonin