Saturday, February, 11, 2012

Glucagonoma

Table of Contents

Treatment

Surgery to remove the tumor is the preferred treatment. The tumor does not usually respond to chemotherapy.


Support Groups


Expectations (prognosis)

Approximately 60% of these tumors are cancerous. It is common for this cancer to spread to the liver. Only about 20% of people can be cured with surgery.

If the tumor is only in the pancreas and surgery to remove it is successful, patients have a 5-year survival rate of 85%.


Complications

The cancer can spread to the liver. High blood sugar levels can cause metabolic problems and tissue damage.


Calling your health care provider

Call your health care provider if you notice symptoms of glucagonoma.



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)