Five-Year Long-Term Followup of a Primary Lymph node Gastrinoma: Is a Pancreaticoduodenectomy Justified?

Primary lymph node gastrinoma: a case report and review of the literature

Background

Gastrinoma is a rare form of neuroendocrine neoplasm. The presence of a primary lymph node localization of gastrinoma is a much debated and controversial topic in the literature, as regards whether these cases represent metastatic disease from an as yet unidentified primary tumor, or the de novo occurrence of a gastrinoma in a lymph node.

Case presentation

We report the case of a 24-year-old male with intense epigastric pain treated at the beginning with high dose proton pump inhibitors. Further workup with CT and subsequent laparotomy revealed a single peripancreatic lymph node. Histological examination highlighted a well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumor.

Conclusion

This case underlines that the primitive lymph node gastrinoma is a distinct nosological entity with a precise location in the context of rare neuroendocrine tumors that should be considered when specific symptoms are associated with the identification of isolated lymph nodes, after excluding any possible primitive locations of neoplastic localization.

Zollinger-Ellison syndrome: recent advances and controversies

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To review the recent advances and current controversies in patients with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (ZES).

RECENT FINDINGS

Recent advances in the management of ZES include: improved understanding of the pathogenesis of gastrinoma and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, new prognostic classification systems, new diagnostic algorithms, more sensitive localization studies, new treatment strategies including improved control of gastric acid secretion and role for surgery, and new approaches to patients with advanced disease. Controversies include: the best approach to a patient with hypergastrinemia suspected of possibly having ZES, the appropriate gastrin assay to use, the role of surgery in patients with ZES, especially those with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1, and the precise order of therapeutic modalities in the treatment of patients with advanced disease.

SUMMARY

This review updates clinicians regarding important advances and controversies required to optimally diagnose and manage patients with ZES.