ALLOXAN IN THE TREATMENT OF INSULIN PRODUCING ISLET CELL CARCINOMA OF PANCREAS

Previously reported studies confirmed the fact that alloxan: injected intravenously into rabbits1 and dogs2 causes specific necrosis of the islets of Langerhans (fig. 1) and epithelium of the convoluted tubules of the kidney. In some dogs transitory or prolonged hyperglycemia occurred with relatively little elevation in the blood nonprotein nitrogen.These studies2 were carried out preliminary to the use of alloxan as a chemotherapeutic agent in the treatment of a patient with insulin producing islet cell carcinoma that had metastasized extensively to the peritoneum and liver. The rationale for the use of alloxan in the treatment of this patient was that, since the radiosensitivity of tumors roughly parallels the radiosensitivity of the normal tissues from which they originate, a chemical agent with specific noxious effect on pancreatic islet cells might influence favorably an insulin producing islet cell carcinoma. Since insulin producing islet cell carcinoma appears to be very