Morphology and immunohistochemically-defined endocrine function of pancreatic islet cell tumours.

Thirty pancreatic islet cell tumours were histologically classified and analysed for their possible peptide hormone content using the immunohistoperoxidase method. Seven tumours contained insulin, six tumours contained gastrin and eight tumours contained glucagon. One tumour contained all three hormones. In the insulin and gastrin-containing tumours, the cells were usually arranged in solid nests of cells, with tubular and acinar formations in about half the cases. In the glucagon-containing tumours the cells were mainly arranged in anastomosing ribbons consisting of one of two layers of small cells. Most of the hormone-containing tumours were argyrophilic using Grimelius' silver reaction. All but one of the glucagon-containing tumours were incidental findings at autopsy. About half of the other tumours had metastasized. It is concluded that a relation exists between the histological pattern of growth and immunohistochemically defined endocrine function of pancreatic islet cell tumours.