Non-functional Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Pancreas: Incidence, Tumor Biology, and Outcomes in 2,158 Patients

Abstract

This study suggests that surgical therapy improves survival among patients with localized, as well as metastatic, NF-pNEC. Enucleation may be oncologically equivalent to resection.

Clinical outcomes and prognostic factors of resected pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms: A single-center experience in China

“…Surgical resection is the only potentially curative therapy for p-NENs, and palliative surgery is also an accepted course of action in cases of liver metastatic disease (12)(13)(14)(15) Statistical analysis. Survival estimates were constructed using the Kaplan-Meier estimator method and survival curves were compared using the log-rank test.…”

Interleukin 1β Gene Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms and Susceptibility to Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors

“…They are largely nonfunctional, but when associated with hormone oversecretion they can cause hypoglycemia (insulinoma), Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (gastrinoma), Verner-Morrison (VIP-oma), and carcinoid syndrome (Massironi et al, 2008). Molecular mechanisms of pNET genesis are poorly understood but have been the focus of many recent reports (Chan et al, 2003;House et al, 2003;Franko et al, 2010). Chronic inflammation has been suggested as a contributor in development of pancreatic diseases such as diabetes and pancreatic cancer.…”

Behavior of small, asymptomatic, nonfunctioning pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NF-PNETs)

“…13 Many small NF-PNETs are discovered incidentally on cross-sectional imaging (CT/MRI) which is being performed more frequently nowadays. 2,14 Recently, the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center concluded that 40% of PNETs were discovered incidentally and 55% of tumors were in stage I according to American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) classification. 15 The WHO classification of PNETs was updated in 2010.…”

“…Other authors suggest that surgery is indicated in any case because NF-PNETs should always be considered as potentially malignant tumors, and a proper histological examination of the tumor (including the mitotic and Ki-67 indexes) is possible only on the resected specimen. 21,22 Previous studies have reported that several factors are associated with survival, including age, 23,24 tumor size, 9,23,[25][26][27] grade/differentiation, 14,24,25,28 LN status, 25,29 presence of distant metastases, 14,23,24,29 and surgical resection. 14,23 Age has consistently been found to be a powerful predictor of survival in patients undergoing resection of PNETs.…”