[Primary hypoglycemic mesenchymatous tumor of the pleura (Doege-Potter's syndrome) : a case report].

Abstract

A patient had been operated 4 years ago for a hypoglycemic tumor of the pleura. The lesion could be separated from the lung, and histological examination demonstrated an undifferentiated markedly cellular appearance of the tumor. Ultrastructural features were not in favor of a mesothelial tumor. Prognosis in such cases depends upon the histological type of tumor present, but remains uncertain, particularly in some apparently morphologically benign forms. Th most valid hypothesis to explain the genesis of this syndrome involves the role played by the non-suppressible insulin-like activity of a substance secreted by the tumor. This is a glycoprotein, molecular weight 90 000, which has recently been isolated, and which could play an important role as a non-suppressible insulin-like protein.