title: Prognostic factors and survival in endocrine tumor patients: comparison between gastrointestinal and pancreatic localization.
abstract: Since gastro-entero-pancreatic endocrine tumors are rare and heterogeneous diseases, their prognosis and long-term survival are not well known. This study aimed at identifying prognostic factors and assessing long-term survival in gastro-entero-pancreatic endocrine tumors. A total of 156 patients enrolled. Prognostic factors were determined by univariate/multivariate analysis; survival rates were assessed by the Kaplan-Meier method. The tumors were non-functioning in 59.6% of patients, and originated from the pancreas in 42.9%. At diagnosis, 64.3% of patients had metastases. The tumors were well differentiated in 89.6% of patients. Ki67 was >2% in 39.6% of patients. Primary tumor size was >3 cm in 49.6% of cases studied. For the univariate analysis, the negative prognostic factors were: pancreatic origin (rate ratio 4.64, P = 0.0002), poorly differentiated tumor (rate ratio 7.70, P = 0.0001), primary tumor size >3 cm (rate ratio 4.26, P = 0.0009), presence of distant metastases (liver: rate ratio 5.88, P = 0.01; distant extra-hepatic: rate ratio 13.41, P = 0.0008). The pancreatic site, the poor degree of differentiation and the distant metastases were confirmed as negative prognostic factors at multivariate analysis. Overall 5-year survival rate was 77.5%. Survival rates differed according to: primary tumor site (62% for pancreatic vs 89.9% for gastrointestinal tract, P = 0.0001) and size (65.7% for >3 cm vs 88.8% for < or = 3 cm, P = 0.0003), degree of differentiation (22% for poor vs 86.8% for good, P < 0.0001), Ki67 (53.5% for > 2% vs 90.1% for < or = 2%, P = 0.003), metastases (96.1, 77, 73.3 and 50.1% for absent, local, liver and distant extra-hepatic metastases respectively), age at diagnosis (85.3% for < or = 50 years vs 70.3% for > 50 years, P = 0.03). Although 64.3% of gastro-entero-pancreatic endocrine tumors present metastases at diagnosis, the 5-year survival rate is 77.5%. Pancreatic site, a poor degree of tumor cell differentiation and distant extra-hepatic metastases are the major negative prognostic factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive and Liver Disease, University of La Sapienza, Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Panzuto
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nasoni
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Falconi
authors.forename: Vito Domenico
authors.initials: VD
authors.lastname: Corleto
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Capurso
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cassetta
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Fonzo
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tornatore
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Milione
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Angeletti
authors.forename: Maria Sofia
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Cattaruzza
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ziparo
authors.forename: Cesare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bordi
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pederzoli
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Delle Fave
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis