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Treatment of Glucagonoma
Source: Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors (Islet Cell Tumors) Treatment (PDQ®)–Health Professional Version, National Cancer Institute.
Source updated: May 9, 2025 · Captured 2026-09-09.
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As with the other pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, the mainstay of therapy is surgical resection, and extended survival is possible even when the disease is metastatic. Resection of metastases is also a consideration when feasible.[1]
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Treatment options:
Single, small lesion in the head or tail of the pancreas:[1-4]
Enucleation, if feasible.
Large lesion in the head of the pancreas that is not amenable to enucleation:[1-4]
Large lesion in the head of the pancreas that is not amenable to enucleation:[1-4]
Pancreaticoduodenectomy.
Single, large lesion in the body/tail:[1-4]
Distal pancreatectomy.
Multiple lesions:[1-4]
Enucleation, if feasible.
Multiple lesions:[1-4]
Resect body and tail otherwise.
Metastatic disease in lymph nodes or distant sites:[5-12]
Resect when possible.
Metastatic disease in lymph nodes or distant sites:[5-12]
Consider radiofrequency or cryosurgical ablation, if not resectable.
Unresectable disease:[13-22]
Combination chemotherapy.
Unresectable disease:[13-22]
Somatostatin analogue therapy. Necrotizing erythema of glucagonoma may be relieved in 24 hours with somatostatin analogue, with nearly complete disappearance within 1 week.
Patients with hepatic-dominant disease and substantial symptoms caused by tumor bulk or hormone-release syndromes may benefit from procedures that reduce hepatic arterial blood flow to metastases (hepatic arterial occlusion with embolization or with chemoembolization).[6,8-12] Such treatment may also be combined with systemic chemotherapy in selected patients.
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Preserved source evidence · Not medical advice