Chiarioni T

[Malignant granuloma and pancreatic diabetes; cytotoxic therapy and glucose tolerance].

A case of Hodgkin-Sternberg granuloma in a 72-years old man is described; three years after the onset of the disease a pancreatic diabetes occurred. This association and the possible role of a cytotoxic therapy in inducing alterations of the glycidic metabolism are discussed. A direct diabetogenous action of chloralkylamines is excluded and the diabetic symptomatology is ascribed to febrile reactions, which occurred during the treatment as the expression of an individual hyperreactivity. The pathogenesis of the diabetes appears however to be due to atherosclerotic lesions and to a diminution of the glycidic tolerance, which is frequently concomitant with malignancy.