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  • Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumour x
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Sarah Y Qian Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia

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Matthew J L Hare Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia

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Alan Pham Department of Anatomical Pathology, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia

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Duncan J Topliss Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
Department of Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

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Summary

Insulinomas are rare neuroendocrine tumours that classically present with fasting hypoglycaemia. This case report discusses an uncommon and challenging case of insulinoma soon after upper gastrointestinal surgery. A 63-year-old man presented with 6 months of post-prandial hypoglycaemia beginning after a laparoscopic revision of Toupet fundoplication. Hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia was confirmed during a spontaneous episode and in a mixed-meal test. Localisation studies including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and gallium dotatate positron emission tomography (68Ga Dotatate PET) were consistent with a small insulinoma in the mid-body of the pancreas. The lesion was excised and histopathology was confirmed a localised well-differentiated neuroendocrine pancreatic neoplasm. There have been no significant episodes of hypoglycaemia since. This case highlights several key points. Insulinoma should be sought in proven post-prandial hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia – even in the absence of fasting hypoglycaemia. The use of nuclear imaging targeting somatostatin and GLP1 receptors has improved accuracy of localisation. Despite these advances, accurate surgical resection can remain challenging.

Learning points:

  • Hypoglycaemia is defined by Whipple’s triad and can be provoked by fasting or mixed-meal tests.

  • Although uncommon, insulinomas can present with post-prandial hypoglycaemia.

  • In hypoglycaemia following gastrointestinal surgery (i.e. bariatric surgery or less commonly Nissen fundoplication) dumping syndrome or non-insulinoma pancreatogenous hypoglycaemia syndrome (NIPHS) should be considered.

  • Improved imaging techniques including MRI, endoscopic ultrasound and functional nuclear medicine scans aid localisation of insulinomas.

  • Despite advances in imaging and surgical techniques, accurate resection of insulinomas remains challenging.

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E S Scott Department of Endocrinology, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney Australia
NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia

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G R Fulcher Department of Endocrinology, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney Australia
University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia

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R J Clifton-Bligh Department of Endocrinology, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney Australia
University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
Cancer Genetics Laboratory, Hormones & Cancer Group, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, Australia

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Pancreatogenic diabetes is characterised by recurrent severe hypoglycaemia due to changes in both endocrine and exocrine functions. There are no guidelines to manage these individuals. Herein, we describe the post-operative management of two people who developed pancreatogenic diabetes following total pancreatectomy for neuroendocrine malignancy. In both individuals, diabetes was managed using sensor-augmented predictive low-glucose suspend continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII). We demonstrate the benefit of sensor-augmented CSII in averting hypoglycaemia whilst optimising glycaemic control. Expected rates of severe hypoglycaemia in individuals with pancreatogenic diabetes can be averted with the use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) technology, optimising quality of life and reducing the risk of diabetes-related complications.

Learning points:

  • There are no clear guidelines to manage people with pancreatogenic diabetes.

  • We describe the use of CGM with predictive low-glucose suspend continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) in the management of two individuals post-pancreatectomy.

  • Predictive low-glucose suspend technology can achieve excellent glycaemic control whilst avoiding recurrent and severe hypoglycaemia in people with pancreatogenic diabetes.

  • Predictive low-glucose suspend CGM should be considered as an effective therapeutic option for the management of pancreatogenic diabetes.

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Yasutaka Takeda Division of Metabolism and Biosystemic Science, Department of Internal Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan

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Yukihiro Fujita Division of Metabolism and Biosystemic Science, Department of Internal Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan

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Kentaro Sakai Division of Metabolism and Biosystemic Science, Department of Internal Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan

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Tomoe Abe Division of Metabolism and Biosystemic Science, Department of Internal Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan

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Tomonobu Nakamura Division of Metabolism and Biosystemic Science, Department of Internal Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan

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Tsuyoshi Yanagimachi Division of Metabolism and Biosystemic Science, Department of Internal Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan

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Hidemitsu Sakagami Division of Metabolism and Biosystemic Science, Department of Internal Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan

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Jun Honjo Division of Metabolism and Biosystemic Science, Department of Internal Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan

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Atsuko Abiko Division of Metabolism and Biosystemic Science, Department of Internal Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan

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Yuichi Makino Division of Metabolism and Biosystemic Science, Department of Internal Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan

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Masakazu Haneda Division of Metabolism and Biosystemic Science, Department of Internal Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan

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Summary

MEN1-associated pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs) may potentially express distinct hormones, but the mechanism has not been elucidated. Transcription factors such as MafA and Pdx1 have been identified to lead to beta cell differentiation, while Arx and Brn4 to alpha cell differentiation in developing pancreas. We hypothesized those transcription factors are important to produce specific hormones in pNETs, similarly to developing pancreas, and examined the expression of transcription factors in a case of MEN1 who showed immunohistological coexistence of several hormone-producing pNETs including insulinoma. A 70-year-old woman was found to manifest hypoglycemia with non-suppressed insulinemia and hypercalcemia with elevated PTH level. She was diagnosed as MEN1 based on the manifestation of primary hyperparathyroidism, pituitary adenoma and insulinoma, with genetic variation of MEN1 gene. She had pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy because CT scan and SACI test indicated that insulinoma was localized in the head of the pancreas. Histopathological finding was MEN1-associated NET, G1. Interestingly, immunohistological examination of the resected pancreas revealed that two insulinomas, a glucagon-positive NET and a multiple hormone-positive NET coexisted. Hence, we examined the expression of transcription factors immunohistochemically to elucidate the role of the transcription factors in MEN1-associated hormone-producing pNETs. We observed homogeneous expressions of MafA and Pdx1 in insulinomas and Arx in glucagon-positive NET, respectively. Moreover, multiple hormone-positive NETs expressed several transcription factors heterogeneously. Collectively, our results suggested that transcription factors could play important roles in the production of specific hormones in MEN1-associated pNETs, similar to islet differentiation.

Learning points:

  • To date, it has been shown that different hormone-producing tumors coexist in MEN1-associated pNETs; however, the underlying mechanism of the hormone production in MEN1-associated pNETs has not been well elucidated.

  • Although this case presented symptomatic hypoglycemia, several hormone-producing pNETs other than insulinoma also coexisted in the pancreas.

  • Immunohistochemical analysis showed MafA and Pdx1 expressions distinctly in insulinoma, and Arx expression particularly in a glucagon-positive NET, while a multiple hormone-positive NET expressed MafA, Pdx1 and Arx.

  • Collectively, clinicians should consider that several hormone-producing pNETs may coexist in a MEN1 case and examine both endocrinological and histopathological analysis of pNETs, regardless of whether symptoms related to the excess of hormones are observed or not.

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