VIPoma presenting as chronic diarrhea in a 30-year-old Filipino female

#3843

Introduction: Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors are rare neoplasms that arise in the endocrine tissues of the pancreas. They can secrete a variety of peptide hormones including insulin, gastrin, glucagon, and vasoactive intestinal peptide. Secretory tumors such as vasoactive intestinal polypeptides are rare neuroendocrine pancreatic neoplasms characterized by watery diarrhea, hypokalemia, and hypochlorhydria.

Aim(s): We report a case of chronic diarrhea in a Filipino young adult who was diagnosed with VIPoma, symptomatically controlled with octreotide and surgery.

Materials and methods: Our patient is a 30 year-old female presenting with 4-week history of diarrhea and significant weight loss not relieved by oral anti-diarrheals and antibiotic, presenting with an abdominal imaging of a well-circumscribed solid mass, measuring 3.6 x 4 x 3.7 cm. Biopsy was done obtaining a result of epithelial neoplasm. Due to high consideration of neuroendocrine tumor, she underwent Somatostatin Receptor Imaging showing intensely DOTATATE-avid mass in the pancreatic head and was then prepared for surgery. Octreotide was given for 7 days prior to Laparoscopic-Assisted Pylorus-Preserving Pancreaticoduodenectomy. Histopathology showed nests and cords of cells with salt and pepper chromatin and amphophilic cytoplasm, consistent with VIPoma.

Conference:

Presenting Author: Edejer P

Authors: Edejer P, Mendoza R, Pascasio C, Lin T, Cornelio G,

Keywords: Pancreatic NET, Octreotide, DOTATATE, diarrhea,