====== Pancreatic islet cell tumor ======

A pancreatic islet cell tumor is a tumor that develops in the [[pancreas]] from a type of cell called an islet cell. These cells manufacture and release [[hormone]]s, such as [[insulin]] and [[glucagon]], into the bloodstream. An islet cell tumor can be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous)

Depending on the type of islet cell tumor, an overproduction of certain hormones can result.

An islet cell tumor is rare, but it can cause a variety of symptoms depending on the type of hormone that it produces. If the tumor is malignant and spreads to other parts of the body, the cancer can become very serious.

Other names for a pancreatic islet cell tumor are:

islet of Langerhans tumor

pancreatic endocrine tumor

[[neuroendocrine tumor]]

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The incidence of [[pituitary tumor]]s is increased in [[multiple endocrine adenomatosis]] or neoplasia (MEA or MEN) (especially type I: autosomal dominant inheritance with high penetrance, also involves pancreatic islet cell tumors (which may produce [[gastrin]] and hence [[Zollinger-Ellison syndrome]]) and parathyroids ([[hyperparathyroidism]]), and in which the pituitary tumors are usually nonsecretory).