Metastatic Pancreatic Carcinoma Research Articles

Metastatic carcinoma of the distal ulna from an occult pancreatic carcinoma

A case of pancreatic carcinoma presenting as a pathologic fracture of the distal ulna is reported. To the best of our knowledge, metastatic pancreatic carcinoma distal to the elbow has never been reported. An attempt to stabilize the fracture with intramedullary fixation and methacrylate augmentation was unsuccessful. Because of the dismal prognosis of pancreatic carcinoma, therapy should be directed toward pain control and maintenance of function in these patients.

Pancreatic Islet Cell Carcinoma With Hypercalcemia. Primary Hyperparathyroidism or Humoral Hypercalcemia of Malignancy

Abstract A 60-year-old woman presented with hypercalcemla and was found to have metastatic pancreatic Islet cell carcinoma. Although clinical features were very suggestive of hyperparathyroldism, her parathyroid hormone levels were not elevated and no abnormal parathyroid tissue was detected by thallium-technetium or computed tomographic scanning techniques. Her hypercalcemia appeared to be due to a humoral factor-distinct from parathyrold hormone-that mimics the action of parathyroid hormone almost exactly. The various tools that may be used to differentiate primary hyperparathyroldism from the humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy are reviewed.

Pancreatic islet cell carcinoma with hypercalcemia. Primary hyperparathyroidism or humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy

A 60-year-old woman presented with hypercalcemla and was found to have metastatic pancreatic Islet cell carcinoma. Although clinical features were very suggestive of hyperparathyroldism, her parathyroid hormone levels were not elevated and no abnormal parathyroid tissue was detected by thallium-technetium or computed tomographic scanning techniques. Her hypercalcemia appeared to be due to a humoral factor-distinct from parathyrold hormone-that mimics the action of parathyroid hormone almost exactly. The various tools that may be used to differentiate primary hyperparathyroldism from the humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy are reviewed.

Phase II trial of 5-fluorouracil, adriamycin, mitomycin C, and streptozotocin (FAM-S) in pancreatic carcinoma

Twenty-five patients with unresectable and metastatic pancreatic carcinoma were treated with the combination of 5-fluorouracil, Adriamycin, mitomycin C and streptozotocin (FAM-S). Twelve of 25 patients responded (48%) and four patients demonstrated stable disease. Median survival of all patients was 6.75 months, and seven of 25 patients survived more than 12 months. Hematologic toxicity was moderate, and the predominant side effect recorded was nausea and vomiting (80% patients). Combination chemotherapy in pancreatic carcinoma may provide palliation and randomized trials are warranted to confirm these results.

In vitro and in vivo radiosensitivity of human tumour cells obtained from a pancreatic carcinoma xenograft.

HUMAN tumours show a wide range of clinical response to radiotherapy, but the extent to which this reflects differences in intrinsic cellular radiosensitivity, extent of tumour cell hypoxia, or host reaction against the tumour is unknown. For tumours in laboratory animals, various assays for clonogenic cells are available. These have shown that the range of radiosensitivity of aerobic cells is quite narrow1,2 and that the hypoxic fraction of clonogenic cells within tumours of palpable dimensions is often in the range 10–35%. Until now the lack of satisfactory assay for clonogenic cells has prevented similar studies on human solid tumours treated in vivo. We have developed two assays for clonogenic cells from a human metastatic pancreatic carcinoma propagated as a xenograft in immune-suppressed CBA/lac mice. This xenograft was one of a series established by Pickard et al.3.

Somatostatin Inhibition of Insulin and Gastrin Hypersecretion in Pancreatic Islet-Cell Carcinoma

SOMATOSTATIN has been reported to diminish basal insulin levels1 and to inhibit insulin secretion stimulated by glucose,2 arginine,3 glucagon,4 and tolbutamide4 in normal man. These effects of somatostatin administration have not been associated with serious untoward effects. Therefore, it has been suggested5 that somatostatin might be efficacious in suppressing autonomous hypersecretion of insulin by pancreatic islet-cell adenomas or carcinomas. In the following case, somatostatin was indeed found to be effective in suppressing insulin hypersecretion in a woman with metastatic pancreatic islet-cell carcinoma. Somatostatin also reduced elevated serum gastrin levels. Case Report A 54-year-old woman was admitted to the University of . . .

Medial cecal defect associated with metastatic pancreatic carcinoma.

Metastatic involvement of the bowel secondary to carcinoma of the pancreas may result in various roentgen abnormalities, depending on the mode of spread of the primary neoplasm. A localized defect on the medial aspect of the cecum due to a metastatic mass in the region of the inferior ileocecal fossa probably results from spread of the primary tumor via the mesenteric reflections or intraperitoneal seeding. This roentgen sign may be an important clue to the presence of a pancreatic neoplasm. Roentgenologic changes in seven patients with this type of cecal deformity secondary to metastatic pancreatic carcinoma are reported.

Pancreatic islet cell carcinoma. I. Clinical features of 52 patients.

The clinical features of 52 patients with metastatic pancreatic islet cell carcinoma treated with streptozotocin (NSC-85998) were analyzed. Seventy-nine percent of the patients had functioning tumors, with the majority secreting insulin; 21% of the patients had nonfunctioning tumors. The tumors were found primarily in the tail of the pancreas and were noted with equal frequency in men and women, at a median age of 52 years. Metastases were mainly to the liver and by local extension; distant metastases were rarely noted. The most frequently reported presenting symptom was hypoglycemia, occurring in 90% of the functioning-tumor patients. Gastrointestinal ulceration and diarrhea were less frequently observed. An overall median survival of 908 days, from diagnosis to last follow-up, was noted. There was no significant difference in survival rates between the sexes or between the functioning- as compared to the nonfunctioning-tumor patients.