CARCINOMA OF THE ISLANDS OF THE PANCREAS

Abstract

We have recently studied, both clinically and at necropsy, a case of severe spontaneous hypoglycemia. This is attributed to a tumor of the islands of Langerhans with metastasis in the liver and lymph nodes. The condition has not been described heretofore and in this sense it represents a new disease. It is well known that when the blood sugar is lowered sufficiently by the injection of insulin, a syndrome is provoked which is marked especially by tremor, tachycardia, convulsions and coma. This is ascribed to hypoglycemia, and the phenomenon has been variously designated as insulin reaction, insulin shock, hypoglycemic reaction and intoxicatio glycopriva.¹Mansfeld²has produced hypoglycemia in dogs by mass ligation of the body of the pancreas which obstructs the ducts but preserves the blood supply of the distal part of the organ, and he attributes the hypoglycemia to the hypertrophy of the islands which follows the