Insulinoma Overview

Causes

The pancreas is an organ in the abdomen that makes the hormone insulin. Insulin is necessary to regulate blood sugar levels. Tumors of the pancreas that produce too much insulin (hyperinsulinemia) are called insulinomas.

High insulin levels cause low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia). Hypoglycemia may be mild, leading to symptoms such as anxiety and hunger, or severe, leading to seizures, coma, and even death.

Insulinomas are rare tumors. They usually occur as single, small tumors in adults. They are very rare in children. Most children with hyperinsulinism have multiple areas of overactive insulin-secreting cells in the pancreas, rather than a single tumor.

Most insulinomas are benign -- only 5 to 10 percent are cancerous. People with the genetic syndrome called multiple endocrine neoplasia Type I (MEN I) are at risk for developing insulinomas.