 Islet Cell Tumor located in the Tail of the Pancreas |
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What are islet cell tumors of the pancreas?
Islet cells are the hormone producing cells within the pancreas. Tumors arising from this cell type are referred to as islet cell tumors. These tumors are also often called neuroendocrine tumors. There are several subtypes of islet cells, the commonest being, Alpha cells producing glucagon (15% of total islet cells), Beta cells producing insulin and amylin (75%), Delta cells producing somatostatin (3-5%), PP cells producing pancreatic polypeptide (3-5%), Epsilon cells producing ghrelin (<1%).
Islet cell tumors can be functional (as in secrete excess hormones in to the body) or non-functional (do not secrete hormones).
What is the treatment for these tumors?
The key is localization of the tumor and then surgical excision. Localization involves a high resolution CT scan or MRI with very fine slices. At the Liver and Pancreas Center we perform this scan with a specialized “Pancreas Protocol” with multiple phases. Octreotide scans, Portal Venous Sampling, Intra-operative Ultrasound are occasionally indicated and are used as deemed necessary. Experience of the surgeon is a key factor and we offer several surgical options for removing the tumor. These include:
What is a Whipple Operation?
The whipple operation involves “removing the head of the pancreas”. As you will note from the illustration the common bile duct, the ampulla, the duodenum are all integrally related to the head of the pancreas and all share their blood supply. Therefore the Whipple operation is a fairly complex operation removing portions of all these structures and then re-hooking these back up to a new loop of intestine. Dr. Allen Whipple was a Professor of Surgery at Columbia University in New York City who popularized this operation in the early 30’s. It has since undergone several minor modifications and therefore goes by different names as listed above. It is an operation that should only be done by experienced surgeons who do these routinely. Dr. Singh has been doing this operation for over 15 years with excellent outcomes. The average hospital stay ranges from 7-14 days.
Related Links:
When is a Whipple Resection done?
Can it be done Laparoscopically?
Neuroendocrine Tumors?
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