Survival Outcomes in Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Progression-Related...

Background: Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs) represent a heterogeneous group of neoplasms characterized by variable biological behavior and clinical outcomes. Multiple therapeutic strategies have been investigated, including surgery, targeted therapies, peptide receptor radionuclide therapy, and systemic treatments. The present study aimed to summarize survival-related outcomes reported across studies investigating the management of pNETs. Methods: A systematic review of the literature was conducted including studies reporting clinical outcomes in patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. A total of 27 studies were included in the qualitative analysis. Survival-related outcomes, such as progression-free survival (PFS), recurrence-free survival (RFS), and recurrence rates, were extracted. Studies reporting quantitative survival values were included in the meta-analytical component. A random-effects model was applied, and a forest plot was generated to summarize the reported outcomes. Results: Reported survival outcomes varied substantially across studies. Median PFS values ranged from approximately 5.6 to 86.5 months, while several surgical series reported 5-year overall survival rates exceeding 90%. Recurrence rates following surgical resection ranged from approximately 12% to 26% in some cohorts. The pooled estimate derived from the meta-analytical model was 32.22 (95% CI: 15.65-48.80). Conclusions: The analysis summarizes survival-related outcomes reported in studies investigating pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors and provides a quantitative overview of the reported progression-related endpoints across the analyzed literature.