title: Endocrine tumors of the pancreas.
abstract: Neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas are rare neoplasms of the heterogeneous group of neuroendocrine gastroenteropancreatic tumors that originate from totipotential stem cells or preexisting endocrine cells within the pancreas. Most neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas are benign or show an indolent course of disease.A subset of them shows a very aggressive behavior, becomes highly malignant, and metastasizes early with life-limiting consequences. An effective disease-management includes the diagnostic approach with hormonal testing and localization and surgical treatment with histologic classification in combination with biotherapy, chemotherapy, or therapy with radionucleotides, de-pending on the individual behavior of the tumor. The primary goal is the improvement of symptoms leading to an acceptable quality of life in the individual patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University, Friedrich Loeffler Strasse 23A, D-17487 Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Spilcke-Liss
authors.forename: Henri
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wallaschofski
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D004358:Drug Therapy; D006801:Humans; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor