Diabetes Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Diabetes, including details on insulin, type i, type ii, diet, treatment, prevention.

Temporary diabetes mellitus secondary to a primary pancreatic Burkitt lymphoma.

Meier C, Kapellen T, Tröbs RB, Hirsch W, Parwaresch R, Kiess W, Körholz D

Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany.

Primary pancreatic lymphoma (PPL) is a rare form of extranodal lymphoma. So far, only in adults has a coincidence with diabetes mellitus (DM) been described. We report a nearly 9-year-old German boy presenting with a Burkitt lymphoma associated with a temporary insulin-dependent DM and exocrine insufficiency of the pancreas. After the patient went into remission, a spontaneous recovery of the endocrine pancreatic function was observed. On immunophenotyping, the lymphoma cells revealed expression of FasL suggesting a potentially apoptotic effect on pancreatic tissue. Beta cell impairment may have been caused by FasL resembling autoimmune diabetes.

Published 8 May 2006 in Pediatr Blood Cancer, 47(1): 94-6.
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