Islet cell tumor
A tumor that arises from the islet cells of the pancreas. The islet cells normally produce insulin and other hormones, and so the tumors frequently, but not always, produce one of these hormones. Islet cell tumors can be benign or malignant and generally cause symptoms related to the hormone produced by the tumor. Specific types of islet cell tumors include insulinomas, glucagonomas, and gastrinomas. People with a family history of multiple endocrine neoplasia type I (MEN I) are at an increased risk for the development of islet cell tumors. Treatments depend upon the type of tumor and may include surgery, chemotherapy, and medications to treat the symptoms of hormone excess.
Read Also:
- Islets of Langerhans
alpha cells that make glucagon, which raises the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood; beta cells that make insulin; delta cells that make somatostatin which inhibits the release of numerous other hormones in the body; and PP cells and D1 cells, about which little is known. Degeneration of the insulin-producing beta cells is the […]
- Iso-
Equal, like, or similar. Iso- is much used in medicine and science as, for example, in isotonic solution (a solution that has the same salt concentration as cells and blood), isotope (a form of a chemical element with the same atomic number as another element but having a different atomic mass), isocellular (composed of cells […]
- Isocellular
Composed of cells of the same size and type. Isocellular is a Greek-Latin hybrid term compounded from the Greek iso- meaning “equal or like” + the Latin cellula, the diminutive of cella, a storeroom.
- Isochromosome
An abnormal chromosome that has two identical arms due to duplication of one arm and loss of the other. Isochromosomes are found in tumors and in some girls with Turner syndrome.
- Isochromosome 17q
An abnormal chromosome 17 with two identical long (q) arms due to duplication of the long arm and loss of the short arm. Isochromosome 17q is the most common isochromosome in cancer. It plays an important role in tumor development and progression. Hematologic malignancies such as chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) with isochromosome 17q carry a […]