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Malignant insulinoma in childhood
Feneli Karachaliou1, Elpis Vlachopapadopoulou, Philipos Kaldrymidis
1Department of Growth and Development, P & A Kyriakou Children's Hospital, Pireaus, Greece.
Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology & Metabolism : JPEM
|June 23, 2006
Summary
This case study details a 10-year-old girl diagnosed with malignant insulinoma, a rare childhood pancreatic tumor. Treatment with octreotide stabilized her condition, showing promise for managing this rare pediatric cancer.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Oncology
- Endocrinology
- Surgical Pathology
Background:
- Pancreatic tumors are rare in pediatric populations.
- Insulinomas, a type of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, are exceptionally rare in children.
- Malignant insulinomas present unique diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in pediatric patients.
Observation:
- A 10-year-old female presented with recurrent hypoglycemic attacks.
- Abdominal MRI identified a pancreatic tail mass, confirmed as malignant insulinoma with lymph node metastases.
- Subsequent MRI revealed liver metastases, diagnosed via In111 octreoscan.
Findings:
- The patient underwent distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy.
- Histopathology confirmed malignant insulinoma with metastatic spread.
- Octreotide therapy was initiated for metastatic disease management.
Implications:
- This case highlights the importance of considering rare pancreatic tumors in pediatric hypoglycemia.
- Early diagnosis and multimodal treatment, including surgery and somatostatin analogs like octreotide, are crucial for managing malignant insulinoma.
- Long-term monitoring is essential for pediatric patients with metastatic insulinoma.