Stages of islet cell cancer

Once islet cell cancer is found, more tests will be done to find out if cancer cells have spread to other parts of the body. This is called staging. The staging system for islet cell cancer is still being developed. These tumors are most often divided into one of three groups:

1. islet cell cancers occurring in one site within the pancreas,
2. islet cell cancers occurring in several sites within the pancreas, or
3. islet cell cancers that have spread to lymph nodes near the pancreas or to distant sites.

A doctor also needs to know the type of islet cell tumor to plan treatment. The following types of islet cell tumors are found:

Gastrinoma

The tumor makes large amounts of a hormone called gastrin, which causes too much acid to be made in the stomach. Ulcers may develop as a result of too much stomach acid.

Insulinoma

The tumor makes too much of the hormone insulin and causes the body to store sugar instead of burning the sugar for energy. This causes too little sugar in the blood, a condition called hypoglycemia.

Glucagonoma

This tumor makes too much of the hormone glucagon and causes too much sugar in the blood, a condition called hyperglycemia.

Miscellaneous

Other types of islet cell cancer can affect the pancreas and/or small intestine. Each type of tumor may affect different hormones in the body and cause different symptoms.

Recurrent

Recurrent disease means that the cancer has come back (recurred) after it has been treated. It may come back in the pancreas or in another part of the body.