Amelioration of symptoms and reduction of VIP levels after hepatic artery chemoembolization in a patient with sandostatin resistant VIPoma.

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.