VIPoma

VIPoma
Classification and external resources
Specialty	Oncology
ICD-10	C25.4 or E16.8
ICD-O	M8155/3
DiseasesDB	13877
MedlinePlus	000228
eMedicine	med/2379 med/2399 ped/2428
MeSH	D003969
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A VIPoma (also known as Verner–Morrison syndrome, after the physicians who first described it) is a rare (1 per 10,000,000 per year) endocrine tumor, usually (about 90%) originating from non-β islet cell of the pancreas, that produce vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP). It may be associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1.

The massive amounts of VIP in turn cause profound and chronic watery diarrhea and resultant dehydration, hypokalemia, achlorhydria (hence WDHA-syndrome, or pancreatic cholera syndrome), acidosis, vasodilation (flushing and hypotension), hypercalcemia and hyperglycemia.

The major clinical features are prolonged watery diarrhea (fasting stool volume > 750 to 1000 mL/day) and symptoms of hypokalemia and dehydration. Half of the patients have relatively constant diarrhea while the rest have alternating periods of severe and moderate diarrhea. One third have diarrhea < 1yr before diagnosis, but in 25%, diarrhea is present for 5 yr or more before diagnosis. Lethargy, muscle weakness, nausea, vomiting and crampy abdominal pain are frequent symptoms. Hypokalemia and impaired glucose tolerance occur in < 50% of patients. Achlorhydria is also a feature. During attacks of diarrhea, flushing similar to the carcinoid syndrome occur rarely.

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