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Nonfunctioning neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas: clinical presentation of 7 patients
J Closset1, M Delhaye, N Sperduto
1Department of Digestive Surgery and Gastroenterology, and Pathology Hôpital Erasme, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium.
Background:
Neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas (NPT) are rare and represent less than 0.5% of all pancreatic tumors.
Materials And Methods:
The authors describe the clinical presentation, the pathological findings and the treatment of 7 patients with nonfunctioning NPT.
Results:
Non-specific symptoms were noted in 6 patients, depending on the size and the location of the tumor, and 1 patient was asymptomatic. A correct preoperative diagnosis was done in only one case. Immunohistochemical studies, most often on surgically resected tissue sample is needed for diagnosis of NPT. The treatment requires surgical resection. Among 4 patients (57%) classified No at the time of surgery, 3 (75%) are alive, free of recurrence, more than 2 years after tumor resection.
Conclusion:
The preoperative diagnosis is difficult to assess. NPT differ from pancreatic adenocarcinomas by the younger age of the patients, their immunohistochemical pattern and a better prognosis after surgical resection.