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VIPoma

Last reviewed: 2 Mar 2025
Last updated: 26 Mar 2025

Summary

Definition

History and exam

Key diagnostic factors

  • profuse watery diarrhea
Full details

Other diagnostic factors

  • age around 50 years
  • headache
  • weight loss
  • poor skin turgor
  • dry mucus membranes
  • muscle weakness
  • muscle cramps
  • gastrointestinal symptoms
  • hyperglycemia symptoms
  • flushing
  • hepatomegaly
  • history of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1)
Full details

Risk factors

  • multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1)
  • age around 50 years
Full details

Diagnostic tests

1st tests to order

  • serum potassium
  • serum bicarbonate
  • serum calcium
  • serum glucose
  • vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) radioimmunoassay
  • liver function tests
Full details

Tests to consider

  • arterial blood gas analysis
  • gastric pH monitoring
  • chromogranin A
  • pancreatic polypeptide
  • contrast-enhanced CT scan of abdomen
  • contrast-enhanced MRI of abdomen
  • somatostatin receptor PET-CT/MRI
  • somatostatin receptor scintigraphy
  • endoscopic ultrasound
  • operative exploration
  • intraoperative ultrasound
  • biopsy
Full details

Treatment algorithm

ACUTE

initial presentation of symptomatic patient

ONGOING

localized disease

metastatic disease: surgical candidate

metastatic disease: nonsurgical candidate

refractory disease

Contributors

Authors

Harish Lavu, MD, FACS
Harish Lavu

Professor of Surgery

Sidney Kimmel Medical College

Thomas Jefferson University

Philadelphia

PA

Disclosures

HL declares that he has no competing interests.

Charles J. Yeo, MD, FACS
Charles J. Yeo

The Samuel D. Gross Professor and Chair

Department of Surgery

Sidney Kimmel Medical College

Thomas Jefferson University

Philadelphia

PA

Disclosures

CJY declares that he has no competing interests.

Peer reviewers

Alexandria Phan, MD

Professor of Medicine

Froedtert Hospital and the Medical College of Wisconsin

Milwaukee

WI

Disclosures

AP declares that she has no competing interests.

Jonathan Strosberg, MD

Professor

Moffitt Cancer Center

Tampa

FL

Disclosures

JS has consulted for Novartis and serves on the Speakers’ Bureau for Ipsen.

Jaime Ruiz-Tovar, MD

Fellow of the Spanish Association of Surgeons (AEC)

Department of Surgery

University Hospital Ramon y Cajal

Madrid

Spain

Disclosures

JRT declares that he has no competing interests.

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  • Patient information

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