Background
Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) are rare pancreas tumors, which represent less than 2% of all pancreatic tumors. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence, clinicopathological characteristics, and prognostic factors for PNET survival predictions.
Patients and methods
This study included patients with PNETs treated at our center during the period from January 2007 until December 2017. For patients with PNETs, preoperative data, operative, postoperative data, and records of survival were analyzed.
Results
In our center, 720 patients underwent pancreatic surgery, including 71 patients (9.86%) with pathologically confirmed PNETs. There were 43 women (60.6%) and 28 men (39.4%), with a median age of 35 years, range 12–74 years. The PNETs were solitary in 65 (91.5%) patients, and the median diameter was 7 cm (range 1–18 cm). The tumors were located in the pancreatic head in 35 (49.3%) patients, body in six (8.5%) patients, and tail in 30 (42.2%) patients. Abdominal pain was the commonest presentation in 57 (80.3%) patients. Nonfunctioning PANETs presented in 65 (91.5%) patients. The overall recurrence rate was seven (9.9%) patients. The overall survival at 1, 3, and 5 years for all cases was 96, 85, and 72%, respectively, with a median survival of 85 months. Grade of tumor was the only independent factor for survival.
Conclusion
PNETs are rare pancreatic neoplasm more common in female sex. Nonfunctioning PNETS presented in most cases. Surgical resection was based on the site, size, and extension of the tumor. Grade of tumor was the only independent factor for survival.