Table of Contents
- Overview
- Symptoms
- Treatment
- Prevention
- Images
Vasoactive intestinal peptide-producing tumor; Pancreatic endocrine tumor
Treatment
The first goal of treatment is to correct dehydration. Fluids are often given through a vein (intravenous fluids) to replace fluids lost in diarrhea.
The next goal is to slow the diarrhea. Some medications can help control diarrhea. Octreotide, which is a human-made form of a natural hormone, blocks the action of VIP.
The best chance for a cure is surgery to remove the tumor. If the tumor has not spread to other organs, surgery can often cure the condition.
Support Groups
Expectations (prognosis)
Surgery can usually cure VIPomas. However, in one-third to one-half of patients, the tumor has spread by the time of diagnosis and cannot be cured.
Complications
- Cancer spread (metastasis)
- Cardiac arrest from low blood potassium level
- Dehydration
Calling your health care provider
If you have watery diarrhea for more than 2 - 3 days, call your doctor.
Images
Previous Section
Review Date: 12/28/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of
General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington
School of Medicine; and Yi-Bin chen, MD, Leukemia/Bone Marrow
Transplant Program, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed
by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
