[Hormone immunocytochemical studies of 46 endocrine tumors of the pancreas in 24 patients].

The aim of this retrospective study was to correlate the results of hormonal immunocytochemistry of 46 endocrine tumors to the corresponding clinical syndromes in 24 patients. They were divided as following: 14 cases of insulinoma, 3 cases of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, 1 case of glucagonoma, 1 case of carcinoid syndrome and 5 cases without any obvious endocrine manifestations. Each tumor was tested with anti-insulin, anti-glucagon, anti-pancreatic polypeptide, anti-vasoactive intestinal peptide, anti-gastrin immune sera according to the peroxidase-antiperoxidase method. The presence of insulin was proved in 13 of 14 cases of insulinomas and the presence of gastrin in 2 of 3 cases of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. Among the 5 asymptomatic cases, a somatostatinoma and a vipoma were individualized. More than 50 p. 100 of the tumors showed plurihormonal secretion with one predominantly secreted hormone responsible for the clinical syndrome. This study demonstrated the diversity of the hormonal secretion by some tumors and their metastasis in the same patient. Malignant insulinomas correspond either to poorly secreting tumors or to plurihormonal tumors secreting gastrin and glucagon as well.