Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide secreting islet cell tumors (VIPomas) are neuroendocrine tumors that secrete excessive amounts of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) that cause distinct syndromes characterized by large-volume diarrhea, hypokalemia, and dehydration. The annual incidence of these tumors is estimated to be about one per 10,000,000 individuals in the general population. We report a successful treatment of VIPoma with hepatic chemoembolization of a metastatic hepatic lesion evidenced by a reduction of VIP levels and resolutions of symptoms in a patient with pancreatic VIPoma unresponsive to increased doses of an octreotide analog.
Keywords: VIPoma; hepatic artery chemoembolization.