Coexistence of bilateral pheochromocytoma and pancreatic islet cell tumor: report of a case and review of the literature

Abstract

A 14-year-old Japanese male with a previously undescribed combination of bilateral pheochromocytoma and an islet cell tumor of the pancreas is presented. The combination of endocrine neoplasms in this patient overlaps multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) Type 1 and Type 2. A total of 14 reported cases of MEN overlapping Type 1 and Type 2 is reviewed. Of the 14, 7 patients with acromegaly developed a paraganglioma(s), 2 patients with Sipple syndrome had a pituitary adenoma, and in the other 5 patients, an intestinal carcinoid or a pancreatic islet-cell tumor occurred in association with either a thyroid medullary carcinoma or a paraganglioma(s). We believe that the occurrence of MEN overlapping Type 1 and Type 2 is more than a fortuitous association, and can be explained on the basis of the neuroectodermal origin.