Islet Cell Carcinoma, Pancreatic Cholera, and Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide

Abstract

Three patients with profuse diarrhea, hypokalemia, metastatic nonbeta islet cell carcinoma, and the absence of gastric hypersecretion were found to have elevated levels of vasoactive intestinal peptide. One patient also had elevated serum gastrin levels. Two patients experienced prolonged remissions of diarrhea after operations in which only tumor biopsies were done. These cases further implicate vasoactive intestinal peptide as the agent mediating the diarrhea in the syndrome of pancreatic cholera.