A Case of Non-islet Cell Tumor Hypoglycemia

Abstract

Mesenchymal tumors including hemangiopericytomas, hepatocellular tumors, adrenal carcinomas, and a variety of other large tumors have been reported to produce excessive amounts of insulin-like growth factor (IGF) type II precursor, which binds weakly to insulin receptors and strongly to IGF-I receptors, leading to insulin like actions. In addition to increased IGF-II production, IGF-II bioavailability is increased due to complex alterations in circulating binding proteins. The authors of this article diagnosed non-islet cell tumor hypoglycemia from an 81-year-old male patient suffering from repetitive fasting hypoglycemia while he has not received any treatment for pulmonary hemangiopericytoma diagnosed in the past. Moreover, this topic is getting reported as the authors have experienced a significant improvement of catamnesis by a treatment with glucocorticoid (J Kor Soc Endocrinol 21:74~78, 2006).