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Glucagonoma - Treatment

Treatment:

Surgery to remove the tumor is the preferred treatment. The tumor does not usually respond to chemotherapy.

Expectations (prognosis):

Approximately 60% of these tumors are cancerous. It is common for this cancer to spread to the liver. Only about 20% of people can be cured with surgery.

If the tumor is only in the pancreas and surgery to remove it is successful, patients have a 5-year survival rate of 85%.

Complications:

The cancer can spread to the liver. High blood sugar levels can cause metabolic problems and tissue damage.

Calling your health care provider:

Call your health care provider if you notice symptoms of glucagonoma.

Endocrine glands

Reviewed last on: 12/28/2010
David C Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Yi-Bin Chen, MD, Leukemia/Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Jensen RT, Norton JA. Endocrine tumors of the pancreas and gastrointestinal tract. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier;2010:chap 32.

National Cancer Institute. Islet cell tumors (pancreatic) treatment PDQ. Updated October 31, 2008.

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