[Glucagonoma with diabetic ketoacidosis; case report].

Diabetic ketoacidosis is an extremely rare manifestation of glucagonoma. We report such a case in a 72-year-old woman known to be diabetic for seven years. The patient was admitted with diabetic ketoacidosis and associated necrolytic migratory erythrema which suggested the diagnosis of glucagonoma. Plasma glucagon levels were increased (569 to 2298 pg/ml). A vascular tumor of the head of the pancreas without obvious hepatic metastases was visualised by angiography. Duodeno-pancreatectomy including the head of the pancreas led to complete recovery of the mucocutaneous lesions and the plasma glucagon level fell (229 pg/ml). The tumor had several histological characteristics suggesting malignancy and a high glucagon content on extraction. Electron microscopy showed multiple A cells and a few isolated B cells. Most of the cells showed immunoreactivity with anti-glucagon and anti-glicentine antibodies. Three months after surgery, the diabetes was again required treatment with insulin. Plasma glucagon level was again increased and chemotherapy with dimethyltriazenimidazolecarboxamide was undertaken.