[Diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic endocrine tumors]

The incidence of pancreatic endocrine tumor (PET)accounts for 1 approximately 2% of total pancreatic tumors and 0. 4 approximately 1. 5% of autopsy cases, reflecting the recently increasing trend. According to WHO criteria(2004), PET is classified by the type of hormone produced by the tumor and its biological behavior. Together with the classical clinical images and hormone markers, 11C-5-HTP-Positron emission tomography, OctreoScan ([(111)In-DTPA0]octreotide)scintigram, SACI-test and IOUS are used for diagnosis. Surgery is the treatment of choice, if supposed to be curative and tolerable. In case of a well-differentiated endocrine tumor, with no indication of resection or IVR, somatostatin analog is another therapy showing stable disease status for a long period. Systemic chemotherapy, including 5-FU+streptozotocin, and streptozotocin+doxorubicin, are used in cases of well -differentiated endocrine carcinoma, and cisplatin+etoposide are applied for poorly-differentiated endocrine carcinoma (or small cell carcinoma). Recent studies focus on molecular target therapy including small molecules and monoclonal antibody, such as tyrosine kinase inhibitor, anti-VEGF antibody and moor inhibitor.