A serotonin and beta HCG-producing islet cell carcinoma associated with focal nodular hyperplasia of the liver.

A 48-year-old woman is described with a pancreatic islet cell carcinoma that had no clinical evidence of hormone production. This neoplasm was removed by radical distal pancreatectomy. Immunohistochemical and extraction studies performed on the tumor tissue revealed that it was producing serotonin and beta HCG. Circulating levels of these hormones were elevated in preoperative serum samples that had been frozen. Beta HCG, a known tumor marker, has remained normal following operation, and this mirrors her clinical course since she has no evidence of disease 1.5 yr after operation. This patient also had focal nodular hyperplasia of the liver. It is possible that the trophoblastic hormone, beta HCG, which was being produced in excess by the islet tumor, may have directly or indirectly caused or facilitated the development of focal nodular hyperplasia.