Liu Tingting, Deng Lin, Su Ruohan, Ni Lin, Wang Zhiwei, Xiong Wanqiu, Wang Bing, Huang Sheng
Department of General Surgery, Fuzong Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.
Department of General Surgery, 900th Hospital of PLA Joint Logistic Support Force, Fuzhou, China.
Cancer Rep (Hoboken). 2025 Jun;8(6):e70243. doi: 10.1002/cnr2.70243.
Breast cancer ranks first in the global incidence rate of malignant tumors in women. Despite the continuous emergence of new treatment methods, it remains a significant threat to the lives and quality of life of patients. Insulinoma, a rare pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, causes pancreatic beta cells to over-secrete insulin, disrupting the normal physiological feedback mechanism and leading to hyperinsulinemia. Studies have demonstrated that hyperinsulinemia can promote tumor development through various pathways, posing substantial challenges to tumor treatment. However, in previous studies, no successful treatment cases of breast cancer combined with insulinoma have been reported. Therefore, we present a case of metastatic breast cancer co-occurring with insulinoma. The patient presented with a rapidly growing mass in the left breast accompanied by recurrent hypoglycemic symptoms. Following our treatment, the condition was significantly and effectively controlled.
A 57-year-old female with a rapidly enlarging mass in the left breast for over 1 year, currently measuring approximately 11 × 10 × 8 cm, with multiple enlarged and fused lymph nodes palpable in the ipsilateral axilla and bilateral neck. She had a history of recurrent hypoglycemic symptoms for 2 years, confirmed by laboratory tests, imaging examinations, fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNA), as metastatic breast cancer combined with insulinoma. On August 3, 2023, she underwent ultrasound-guided alcohol ablation of the insulinoma and complete neoadjuvant therapy for breast cancer. The hypoglycemic symptoms disappeared and the tumor was rapidly and effectively controlled. Unfortunately, due to economic reasons, the patient refused further surgical treatment.
The unique aspect of this case lies in the rapid growth of a breast mass over a one-year period, accompanied by recurrent episodes of hypoglycemia. Following clinical evaluation, the diagnosis was metastatic breast cancer with concomitant insulinoma. To our knowledge, reports of similar cases are scarce. This case underscores the importance for clinicians to remain vigilant when encountering rapidly progressing cancers, particularly in identifying various factors that may contribute to cancer development. When multiple diseases coexist, it is crucial to recognize the interrelationships between these conditions and to adopt a multidisciplinary approach to treatment, thereby striving to provide the best personalized care for patients.
乳腺癌在全球女性恶性肿瘤发病率中位居首位。尽管新的治疗方法不断涌现，但它仍然对患者的生命和生活质量构成重大威胁。胰岛素瘤是一种罕见的胰腺神经内分泌肿瘤，可导致胰腺β细胞过度分泌胰岛素，破坏正常的生理反馈机制，导致高胰岛素血症。研究表明，高胰岛素血症可通过多种途径促进肿瘤发展，给肿瘤治疗带来巨大挑战。然而，在以往的研究中，尚未报道过乳腺癌合并胰岛素瘤的成功治疗病例。因此，我们报告一例转移性乳腺癌合并胰岛素瘤的病例。该患者左乳出现迅速增大的肿块，并伴有反复低血糖症状。经过我们的治疗，病情得到了显著有效的控制。
一名57岁女性，左乳肿块迅速增大超过1年，目前大小约为11×10×8cm，同侧腋窝及双侧颈部可触及多个肿大融合的淋巴结。她有2年反复低血糖症状病史，经实验室检查、影像学检查、细针穿刺活检（FNA）确诊为转移性乳腺癌合并胰岛素瘤。2023年8月3日，她接受了超声引导下胰岛素瘤酒精消融术及乳腺癌完整新辅助治疗。低血糖症状消失，肿瘤迅速得到有效控制。不幸的是，由于经济原因，患者拒绝进一步手术治疗。
本病例的独特之处在于乳房肿块在一年内迅速生长，并伴有反复低血糖发作。经过临床评估，诊断为转移性乳腺癌合并胰岛素瘤。据我们所知，类似病例的报道很少。该病例强调了临床医生在遇到快速进展的癌症时保持警惕的重要性，特别是要识别可能促成癌症发展的各种因素。当多种疾病共存时，认识这些疾病之间的相互关系并采取多学科治疗方法至关重要，从而努力为患者提供最佳的个性化护理。
