title: Putting the pieces together: necrolytic migratory erythema and the glucagonoma syndrome.
abstract: Glucagonomas are slow-growing, rare pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. They may present with paraneoplastic phenomena known together as the "glucagonoma syndrome." A hallmark sign of this syndrome is a rash known as necrolytic migratory erythema (NME). In this paper, the authors describe a patient with NME and other features of the glucagonoma syndrome. The diagnosis of this rare tumor requires an elevated serum glucagon level and imaging confirming a pancreatic tumor. Surgical and medical treatment options are reviewed. When detected early, a glucagonoma is surgically curable. It is therefore imperative that clinicians recognize the glucagonoma syndrome in order to make an accurate diagnosis and refer for treatment.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hospital Medicine, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, BTE-119, Portland, OR, 97239, USA, halvorss@ohsu.edu.
authors.forename: Stephanie A C
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Halvorson
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gilbert
authors.forename: R Samuel
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Hopkins
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lopez
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Brett
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sheppard
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005935:Glucagonoma / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D058568:Necrolytic Migratory Erythema / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*