title: Calcitonin-secreting tumor of the pancreas.
abstract: Pancreatic endocrine tumors (PETs) are unusual tumors arising from cells belonging generically to the amine precursor uptake and decarboxylation systems. We present a case of a calcitonin-secreting PET in a 56-year-old female who presented with watery diarrhea, dehydration and hypokalemia. Investigation revealed hypercalcemia, hyperphosphatemia, hypercalcitonemia and a well-defined mass in the head of the pancreas on CT scan. Following a pancreaticoduodenectomy her serum calcitonin levels returned to normal and diarrhea disappeared. The identification of this particularly rare presentation of a calcitonin-secreting PET provides the opportunity to examine this pathological entity within the context of the very few previously reported instances of this disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Lilavati Hospital and Research Centre, Bandra Reclamation, Bandra(W), Mumbai 400 050, India.
authors.forename: Prashant M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Mullerpatan
authors.forename: Shashank R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.forename: Rajiv C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Chandralekha S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Tampi
authors.forename: Vatsala M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Doctor
authors.forename: Palepu
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jagannath
authors.forename: Irvin
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Modlin
mesh_terms: D002116:Calcitonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery*; D016577:Pancreaticoduodenectomy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D002116:Calcitonin