Hypercalcitoninemia in a sporadic asymptomatic neuroendocrine tumor of thepancreatic tail

Background/Aim: Asymptomatic neuroendocrine tumors of The gastroenteropancr eatic tract represent a significant challenge in terms of postoperative mon itoring. Methods: A case report of a calcitonin-secreting asymptomatic neur oendocrine tumor of the pancreatic tail is presented. Results: Hypercalcito ninemia was noted in the 76-year-old Caucasian man who had a recurrent neur oendocrine tumor of the pancreatic tail. Upon pentagastrin stimulation, bas al calcitonin increased only moderately from 82.3 (<10) to 100.9 and 125 pg /ml after 2 and 5 min, respectively. Surgical removal of the neuroendocrine tumor resulted in postoperative normalization of both basal and stimulated serum calcitonin levels. On immunohistochemistry. the neuroendocrine tumor was positive for calcitonin. Conclusion: Routine measurements of serum cal citonin might be a highly sensitive adjunct capable of identifying a subset of neuroendocrine tumors in which calcitonin monitoring may aid in the ear ly detection of postoperative recurrence. Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG. Basel.