Report on a Patient with Watery Diarrhoea Syndrome Caused by a Pancreatic Tumour Containing Neurotensin, Enkephalin and Calcitonin

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Abstract
A patient with watery diarrhea syndrome (WDS) is described. A pancreatic tumor was found containing many cells with immunoreactivity to enkephalin and neurotensin, a few with immunoreactivity to calcitonin but none to vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP). High levels of calcitonin, neurotensin, VIP and pancreatic polypeptide (PP) were present in plasma as measured by radioimmunossay. After removal of the tumor, the plasma levels of the first 3 peptides returned to normal and the WDS disappeared. Plasma PP did not change. No specific symptoms could be attributed to the new spectrum of peptides found in the tumor. This is the first report of a pancreatic tumor containing high levels of neurostensin.