Asymptomatic somatostatinoma of the pancreatic head: Report of a case

Surg Today. 2010 Jun;40(6):569-73. doi: 10.1007/s00595-008-4089-8. Epub 2010 May 23.

Abstract

A 44-year-old man was attending routine follow-up 5 years after colon cancer resection, when ultrasonography detected a pancreatic tumor with a low echoic area. He had no symptoms. Computed tomography (CT) showed a protruding-type tumor, 4 cm in diameter, in the pancreatic head with central necrosis. Angiography revealed that the tumor was hypervascular. The serum somatostatin level was elevated, at 27 pg/ml (normal range, 1.0-12 pg/ml). As somatostatinoma of the pancreas was suspected, we performed pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy. Histological and immunohistochemical staining confirmed somatostatinoma of the pancreas without nodal metastasis. Thus, if an endocrine tumor of the pancreas is suspected in a patient with a hypervascular tumor, the possibility of somatostatinoma should be included in the differential diagnosis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Colonic Neoplasms / surgery
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / blood
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Pancreaticoduodenectomy
  • Somatostatin / blood*
  • Somatostatinoma / blood
  • Somatostatinoma / diagnosis*

Substances

  • Somatostatin