Ways To Treat An Insulinoma

One main job of the pancreas is to provide insulin and other hormones that help control how much glucose is in the blood. A small tumor called an insulinoma may appear in the pancreas. This tumor, whether benign or cancerous, can produce too much insulin, causing an individual's blood sugar to become dangerously low. Because the tumor constantly produces and secretes insulin, treatment is important to prevent complications that occur from issues with low blood sugar, such as hypoglycemia. Depending on the size and location of the insulinoma, a physician may recommend different treatment options for recovery or to control symptoms.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is regularly used to treat cancerous tumors of all types. When it comes to insulinomas, these tumors are malignant in less than ten percent of all cases. If surgery is not an option or must be delayed for any reason, physicians may recommend chemotherapy. This can be done with oral medications or through targeted injections directly to the tumor site. In addition to an attempt at reducing the size of the tumor, chemotherapy can be effective at reducing the symptoms associated with insulinoma, slowing down the amount of insulin produced by the tumor.

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Surgical Removal Of The Tumor

While surgery is not always the first line of treatment for some maladies, it is highly recommended for benign insulinomas. When the tumor is located on the outside of the pancreas, surgery to remove just the tumor is highly successful at providing a full recovery. Laparoscopic surgery is generally preferred since it can be done on an outpatient basis with minimal recovery time. Sometimes a portion of the pancreas where the tumor is attached will also need to be removed, but this does not happen often. Surgical removal of the tumor may be done if the insulinoma is cancerous, followed by other treatments to prevent the return of the tumor when necessary.

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