45-year-old man with dermatitis and weight loss

The glucagonoma syndrome: a review of its features and discussion of new perspectives

Glucagonoma syndrome is a paraneoplastic phenomenon characterized by an islet alpha-cell pancreatic tumor, necrolytic migratory erythema, diabetes mellitus, weight loss, anemia, stomatitis, thromboembolism, and gastrointestinal and neuropsychiatric disturbances. These clinical findings in association with hyperglucagonemia and demonstrable pancreatic tumor establish the diagnosis. Glucagon itself is responsible for most of the observed signs and symptoms, and its induction of hypoaminoacidemia is thought to lead to necrolytic migratory erythema. Liver disease and fatty acid and zinc deficiency states may also contribute to the pathogenesis of the eruption in some cases. Most patients are diagnosed too late in the clinical course for cure, but successful palliation of symptomatology can usually be achieved with surgical and medical intervention. This paper reviews the glucagonoma syndrome, paying particular attention to its cutaneous features, and provides new perspectives in our current understanding of this phenomenon.

Metabolic epidermal necrosis-hepatocutaneous syndrome

It is clear that cutaneous lesions of metabolic epidermal necrosis in the dog can occur either with a demonstrable glucagon-secreting tumor or with hepatic disease without any detectable glucagonoma. Additional clinical case reports of the disease in cats are needed to better characterize the disease in this species. The lesions of NME-MEN may not represent a specific physiological mechanism of cutaneous disease but instead a pathophysiological process that can be triggered by several systemic metabolic abnormalities. The fact that NME is observed in association with a variety of conditions supports the theory that an overall metabolic derangement results in the rash. The prognosis for canine MEN is poor; however, some affected dogs have been maintained for many months with dietary management. High-quality protein diets such as Hill's Prescription Diet a/d (Hill's Pet Products) or other "recovery" diets may be helpful. Zinc and essential fatty acid supplementation may help some patients. Dietary supplementation with cooked egg yolks may be helpful. It is prudent to avoid corticosteroids in these cases, as development of diabetes mellitus worsens the prognosis. Histopathological examination of the pancreas coupled with determination of plasma glucagon may help define the characteristics of GS versus HS in dogs. It is possible that some dogs diagnosed with MEN-HS may have an undetected pancreatic tumor. Although the hepatic ultrasound findings in dogs with MEN-HS are becoming well characterized, it is possible for dogs with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors to also have abnormal hepatic ultrasonography. As the presence of MEN and hepatic disease does not necessarily rule out the presence of a pancreatic tumor, prospective studies correlating plasma glucagon levels with pancreatic histopathology in cases of MEN-GS versus MEN-HS seem warranted.

Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome

The first goal of therapy is the control of gastric acid hypersecretion using PPIs or high-dose H2R antagonists. The diagnosis of Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia (MEN I) should be established early in the disease. Localization of gastrinoma tumor should be performed using a combination of endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS), somatostatin receptor scintigraphy (SRS), and computerized tomography (CT), or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Surgical resection in sporadic ZES should be performed to attempt cure of tumor. Surgery, hormonal, chemotherapy, embolization therapy or therapeutic OctreoScan should be considered in patients with metastatic tumor.