SAT059 Metastatic Insulinoma Diagnosed Postpartum
Recommended Citation
Faber A, Lam H, Simon R. SAT059 Metastatic Insulinoma Diagnosed Postpartum. J Endocr Soc 2023; 7:A1165-A1166.
Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Publication Date
10-5-2023
Publication Title
J Endocr Soc
Abstract
Introduction: Insulinomas are rare neuroendocrine tumors derived from the beta cells of the pancreas. These tumors generally occur at a rate of four cases per million per year, and they are seen across all demographics. Affected patients present with symptoms of hypoglycemia, including confusion, diaphoresis, and palpitations. Insulinomas occur as single or multiple tumors, and can be benign or malignant. Insulinomas with metastases are defined as malignant. The primary treatment is surgical resection. However, in the case of metastatic insulinomas prognosis can be quite poor with limited treatment options. Case Presentation: A 24-year-old female employed as a nurse with otherwise negative medical history originally presented around 3 months postpartum with epigastric pain which was attributed to gas. Symptoms progressed to include lightheadedness, palpitations, and sweating. She checked her blood glucose during these events and noted it to be consistently in the 30s-40s. She would treat these episodes with food and had short-term improvement in symptoms. She presented to an outside hospital where imaging revealed: hepatomegaly with innumerable hypodense liver lesions, hypo-enhancing pancreatic head lesion, sclerotic focus in T4 vertebral body, as well as multiple enlarged upper abdominal lymph nodes including peripancreatic, porta hepatis, and gastrohepatic. Liver biopsy revealed well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumor, WHO grade 3 likely from a pancreatic primary and chemotherapy was initiated with carboplatin and paclitaxel with some response. However, hypoglycemia became refractory to management with 5% dextrose drip, so she was transferred to our facility for escalation of care. TPN was initiated and dextrose drip was escalated eventually to 40% dextrose. She was also given octreotide, hydrocortisone, and eventually diazoxide. Given degree of tumor burden as well as abdominal ascites and clinical condition, surgery was deemed high risk and not recommended. Tumor board meeting was held and her chemotherapy regimen was changed to Carboplatin/Etoposide/Atezolizumab. She subsequently underwent hepatic artery embolization twice with improvement of hypoglycemia. Despite decreasing dextrose drip requirements by over 50%, patient was unable to be liberated from dextrose infusion and had multiple discussions about management options and prognosis. The patient eventually elected to go home with home hospice. Discussion: Insulinoma diagnosed in pregnancy or shortly after pregnancy is extremely rare. There are only three case reports of malignant insulinoma diagnosed in or after pregnancy. Given the degree of extensive metastases at time of presentation, we expect our patient's insulinoma was present prior to delivery. Hypoglycemia may have only manifested in the postpartum period when there was decreased levels of placenta-derived counterregulatory hormones.
Volume
7
First Page
A1165-A1166
