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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Radiofrequency Ablation
If an individual is not a good candidate for the surgical removal of an insulinoma or if the tumor is very small, they may require radiofrequency ablation, which is where a needle is inserted through the skin to the insulinoma with the use of guided imagery. This ensures the tumor is reached directly. Radiofrequency waves are then passed through the needle via an electrode to heat up the tumor, resulting in the death of the cancerous cells. This treatment has a very high success rate, so can be a good alternative to surgery in many insulinoma patients.
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Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy can be used to destroy cancerous cells, including an insulinoma, through extreme cold. This treatment is non-surgical and localized specifically to the area of the tumor. A cold probe is inserted to reach the desired area on the pancreas to kill off cells through freezing. While freezing of the tumor can be very effective, there is the chance a few cancerous cells may remain. However, the insulinoma will produce less insulin when it is reduced in size, often making the condition more manageable through diet and other treatment options recommended by a physician.
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Treatment With Medication
Several types of medication have been shown to be effective in treating symptoms associated with an insulinoma. Diazoxide is used regularly to lower insulin, especially when high insulin is caused by certain types of tumors, like an insulinoma. There are also other medications that have a side effect of lowering blood sugar and so may be prescribed for insulinoma patients. In these cases, treatment with medication may include the use of steroids, diphenylhydantoin, or verapamil. Synthetic hormones can also be effective at attacking certain types of tumors, including an insulinoma. These include octreotide and lanreotide, the latter also being effective at treating tumors specifically located in the pancreas.