Granulomatous Insulitis as a Cause of Acute-Onset Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus in a Patient With a Pancreatic Endocrine Carcinoma

We report a unique case of granulomatous insulitis in a patient with an endocrine tumor of the pancreas that clinically manifested as acute-onset insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Granulomata were present in islets with complete disappearance of β cells, as well as in the primary tumor, metastases, and lymph nodes. We postulate that these granulomata represent a sarcoid-like reaction to the tumor with secondary injury to nonneoplastic endocrine cells through a mechanism of molecular mimicry.
Source: International Journal of Surgical Pathology - Category: Pathology Authors: Tags: Case Reports Source Type: research