Neurologic involvement in glucagonoma syndrome: response to combination chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil and streptozotocin.

A 34-year-old man presented with classic glucagonoma syndrome manifested by weight loss, dermatitis, stomatitis, anemia, and mild diabetes mellitus. The diagnosis of glucagonoma was made by light and electron microscopic demonstration of a metastatic alpha cell carcinoma in a liver biopsy specimen. Plasma glucagon concentration was abnormally high. The patient also had symptoms and signs of involvement of the central nervous system. Radionuclide and CAT scans of the brain, negative CSF cytology and myelography excluded the possibility of metastases or other space-occupying lesions. Glucagon was demonstrated in the CSF. We postulate that the neurologic symptoms were due to direct or indirect effect of this hormone on the brain. Following therapy with streptozotocin and 5-fluorouracil, the patient had a subjective and objective clinical and hormonal remission of his disease including amelioration of his neurological impairment.