Current treatment status in pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms

Pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (P-NENs) are a group of pathologically and clinically heterogeneous tumors. In the past several decades, the incidence has been increasing. In 2010, the WHO presented a new classification dividing P-NENs into well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) and poorly-differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs). Surgery is the primary and most important treatment for P-NENs, and is also the only possible curative procedure. By the 2018 NCCN guideline, observation can be considered for <1 cm, low-grade asymptomatic nonfunctional P-NETs. And for patients who are not suitable for surgery, somatostatin analogues, targeted therapy, radionuclides, ablation therapies, (chemo)embolisation and chemotherapy should be considered to improve and maintain a good quality of life. More than one hundred years has passed since termed, and in recent years, more and more molecule mechanism about P-NENs have been discovered. With the addition of several new agents, survival improved over the time. All this made P-NENs great promise.