Resection of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: results of 70 cases.
OBJECTIVE
Neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas can be managed surgically with excellent outcomes.


METHODS
Retrospective case series.


METHODS
Academic medical center.


METHODS
Seventy consecutive patients who underwent resection for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors between January 1, 1990, and December 31, 2005.


METHODS
Pancreaticoduodenectomy, distal pancreatectomy, or enucleation.


METHODS
Postoperative morbidity, mortality, and long-term survival.


RESULTS
Of the 70 patients, 50 (71.4%) had nonfunctional tumors. Thirty-seven patients (52.9%) had neuroendocrine carcinomas and 13 (18.6%) had benign islet cell neoplasms. Twenty patients had functional tumors. Of these 20 patients, 16 had insulinomas, 2 had glucagonomas, and 2 had gastrinomas. Twenty-seven patients underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy, 32 had distal pancreatectomy, and 11 underwent enucleation. Patients undergoing enucleation as compared with those not undergoing enucleation were younger (mean age, 39 vs 51 years, respectively; P = .009) and had smaller tumors (mean tumor size, 2 vs 5 cm, respectively; P<.001). Postoperative complications occurred in 13 patients (48.1%) after pancreaticoduodenectomy, in 4 patients (12.5%) after distal pancreatectomy, and in 0 patients after enucleation. There were no perioperative mortalities. With a median follow-up of 50 months, the 5-year actuarial survival for the patients with malignant neuroendocrine carcinomas (n = 37) was 77%, and all of the patients with functional tumors are alive. The presence of lymphovascular invasion closely approached significance when survival was evaluated (P = .06). Lymph node status, perineural invasion, and liver metastasis did not impact survival.


CONCLUSIONS
This single-institutional case series demonstrates that pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors can be safely resected without mortality and with minimal morbidity. The presence of lymphovascular invasion can be used to classify neuroendocrine tumors as malignant, and this appears to predict survival. Patients with malignant tumors can expect long-term survival even in the setting of metastatic disease.
Kazanjian
Kevork K
KK
Section of Gastrointestinal Surgery and the University of California, Los Angeles, USA.
Reber
Howard A
HA
Hines
Oscar J
OJ
D000328:Adult; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D010180:Pancreatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D016577:Pancreaticoduodenectomy / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate / Q000639:trends; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome