Hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery: somatostatinoma: practice question

A General Surgery question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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General Surgery · Hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery: somatostatinoma

Sample item

A 55-year-old woman has gallstones found at cholecystectomy, new mild diabetes mellitus and pale bulky greasy stools. A large pancreatic head mass is seen on CT. Which functioning neuroendocrine tumour fits best?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Somatostatinoma

Somatostatin inhibits insulin, cholecystokinin and pancreatic enzyme secretion, producing diabetes, gallstones from gallbladder stasis and steatorrhoea. VIPoma gives watery diarrhoea with hypokalaemia, and gastrinoma gives recurrent ulcers.

Option by option

  • A. Somatostatinoma (correct)

    Correct. Diabetes, gallstones and steatorrhoea are the classic triad of somatostatinoma.

  • B. Gastrinoma

    Gastrinoma causes recurrent severe peptic ulcers and diarrhoea.

  • C. VIPoma

    VIPoma causes profuse watery diarrhoea with hypokalaemia and achlorhydria.

  • D. Insulinoma

    Insulinoma causes fasting hypoglycaemia, not diabetes.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this General Surgery question

What is the answer to this General Surgery question?

The best answer is A, Somatostatinoma. Somatostatin inhibits insulin, cholecystokinin and pancreatic enzyme secretion, producing diabetes, gallstones from gallbladder stasis and steatorrhoea.

Why is "Gastrinoma" not the answer?

Gastrinoma causes recurrent severe peptic ulcers and diarrhoea.

Why is "VIPoma" not the answer?

VIPoma causes profuse watery diarrhoea with hypokalaemia and achlorhydria.

Why is "Insulinoma" not the answer?

Insulinoma causes fasting hypoglycaemia, not diabetes.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery: somatostatinoma in General Surgery. VIPoma gives watery diarrhoea with hypokalaemia, and gastrinoma gives recurrent ulcers.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery: somatostatinoma?

Learn classic signs and eponyms alongside what they diagnose. Then use the flashcards and the other General Surgery questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.