Neuroendocrine tumors: current recommendations for diagnosis and surgical management

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are rare neoplasms found in diverse locations within the body. These tumors are commonly classified by the primary tumor's location, further subclassified by their differentiation, and finally segregated by their ability to hypersecrete peptides or amines. A number of groups have summarized their recommendations for diagnosis and therapy; however, the rarity of these lesions makes prospective randomized multiinstitutional trials difficult. Thus, these "consensus statements" often remain opinion-based. The authors have collaboratively developed a consensus on the current diagnostic work-up necessary for patients with NETs to help clinicians with this confusing field and followed this with some of the more advanced surgical techniques and considerations that are currently only available in specialty centers to show the evolving management of NETs.