Necrotising pancreatitis and diabetes associated with disseminated small cell carcinoma of lung.

Although tumour metastases to the pancreas and peripancreatic lymph nodes are found commonly at necropsy in cases of small cell carcinoma of lung, tumour-induced acute pancreatitis is described rarely. A case of metastasis-associated necrotising pancreatitis with the unusual presentation of epigastric pain followed by diabetes is described here. Patients (particularly cigarette smokers) with none of the conventional risk factors for acute pancreatitis merit chest radiography and if indicated prompt cytotoxic treatment.