Management of intractable hypoglycemia with Yttirum-90 radioembolization in a patient with malignant insulinoma

Metastatic insulinomas may present with recurrent life-threatening hypoglycemia. Treatment of hypoglycemia in such patients is difficult and frequently fails to respond to numerous therapeutic agents, requiring continuous dextrose infusion. The authors present our experience with Yttirum-90 radioembolization in a patient with metastatic malignant insulinoma who failed to respond to distal pancreatectomy, systemic chemotherapy with capecitabine and everolimus and medical treatment with somatostatin analogues, diazoxide and corticosteroids. Treatment with repeated Y-90 radioembolization resulted in rapid resolution of hypoglycemic events, allowing discontinuation of dextrose infusion and hospital discharge. However, the effect of Y-90 administration seems to be transient and without evidence of tumor shrinkage in imaging studies.