Hypoglycemia associated with the production of insulin-like growth factor II in a pancreatic islet cell tumor: a case report

Abstract

An insulinoma is characterized by endogenous hyperinsulinemia and hypoglycemia. However, it has been reported that insulinomas with normal levels of plasma insulin and a normal insulin to glucose ratio occur in patients with hypoglycemia. Although overproduction of Insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) by non-islet cell tumors such as large mesenchymal tumors, can cause hypoglycemia, no cases of circulating plasma IGF-II from an islet cell tumor contributing to hypoglycemia have been reported. We report here a rare case of a pancreatic islet tumor in a patient with hypoglycemia that was associated with increased plasma IGF-II, which returned to normal after tumor resection.