Insulinoma

Overview

Insulinoma is form of endocrine pancreatic cancer that usually causes the pancreas to produce too much insulin, leading to the "opposite of diabetes" with conditions such as clinical hypoglycemia.

Symptoms

• Clinical hypoglycemia 
• Chronic repeated hypoglycemia 
• Fasting hypoglycemia - excess insulin 
• CNS symptoms - excess insulin 
• Ataxia - excess insulin 
• Confusion - excess insulin 
• Weakness - excess insulin 
• Headache - excess insulin 
• Vision problems - excess insulin 
• Personality changes - excess insulin 
• Seizures - excess insulin 
• Paralysis

Causes

• Exogenous insulin administration is the most common cause of hypoglycemia –Most commonly occurs in patients with known diabetes mellitus –May occur with inadequate food ingestion or excessive exercise after an insulin injection –May occur with delayed absorption of food (e.g., diabetic gastroparesis) –Rarely, may occur as part of attention seeking behavior (i.e., factitious)
• Oral hypoglycemic medications (e.g., sulfonylurea) –This is especially common with severe liver disease, which prevents gluconeogenesis 
• Other medications (e.g., salicylates, sulfonamides, tetracyclines, warfarin, MAO inhibitors, phenothiazines) 
• Reactive hypoglycemia occurs 2–4 hours after meals, due to delayed and exaggerated insulin release (associated with a family history of type II diabetes) 
• Hypothyroidism 
• Malnutrition/fasting 
• Insulinoma/islet cell hyperplasia 
• Alcohol consumption 
• Sepsis 
• Renal failure 
• Sarcomas 
• Pituitary or adrenal insufficiency 
• Congenital hormone or enzyme defects 
• Severe hepatic dysfunction (e.g., hepatitis, hepatic toxins, hepatic necrosis)

Diagnosis

Home medical testing related to Insulinoma: Colon & Rectal Cancer: Home Testing 

• Home Colorectal Cancer Tests 
• Home Fecal Occult Bleeding Tests 

High Cholesterol: Home Testing: o Home Cholesterol Tests o Home Triglycerides Tests o Home Blood Pressure Tests 

High Blood Pressure: Home Testing o Home Blood Pressure Monitors o Home Heart Tests 

Heart Health: Home Testing: o Heart Rate Monitors o Irregular Heartbeat Detection o Heart Electrocardiogram (ECG) 

Thyroid: Home Testing: o Home Thyroid Function Tests o Home TSH Tests o Home Adrenal Function Tests 

Diet & Weight Loss: Home Testing: o Home Weight Testing o Home Body Fat Testing (BMI) o Home Body Fat Monitoring o Home Fitness Testing 

Diabetes: Related Home Testing: 

Home Diabetes Tests 

Home Blood Glucose Tests 

Home Urine Glucose Tests 

Home Urine Ketone Tests 

Home Diabetes HbA1c Tests 

Home Microalbumin Tests (Kidney) 

Home Urine Protein Tests (Kidney) 

Home Kidney Tests 

Home Eye Tests