Watery diarrhoea (WDHA) syndrome associated with carcinoma of the lung

A patient with bronchial carcinoma presented with profuse watery diarrhoea, hypokalaemia and hypochlorhydria. Laparotomy appeared to exclude the usual cause, a pancreatic islet-cell tumour. Relief of the diarrhoea was achieved only with prednisone therapy. Evidence is adduced to implicate a humoral factor produced by the tumour, although in this case, the serum VIP level was not elevated.