title: Pancreatic endocrine tumors or apudomas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  pancreatic endocrine tumors (PET) are difficult to diagnose. Their accurate localization using imaging techniques is intended to provide a definite cure. The goal of this retrospective study was to review a PET series from a private institution.
  
  
  METHODS
  the medical records of 19 patients with PETs were reviewed, including 4 cases of MEN-1, for a period of 17 years (1994-2010). A database was set up with ten parameters: age, sex, symptoms, imaging techniques, size and location in the pancreas, metastasis, surgery, complications, adjuvant therapies, definite diagnosis, and survival or death.
  
  
  RESULTS
  a total of 19 cases were analyzed. Mean age at presentation was 51 years (range: 26-67 y) (14 males, 5 females), and tumor size was 5 to 80 mm (X: 20 mm). Metastatic disease was present in 37% (7/19). Most underwent the following imaging techniques: ultrasounds, computed tomography (CT) an magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Fine needle aspiration punction (FNA) was performed for the primary tumor in 4 cases. Non-functioning: 7 cases (37%), insulinoma: 2 cases [1 with possible multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN)], Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (ZES) from gastrinoma: 5 (3 with MEN-1), glucagonoma: 2 cases, 2 somatostatinomas; carcinoid: 1 case with carcinoide-like syndrome. Most patients were operated upon: 14/19 (73%). Four (4/14:28%) has postoperative complications following pancreatectomy: pancreatitis, pseudocyst, and abdominal collections. Some patients received chemotherapy (4), somatostatin (3) and interferon (2) before or after surgery. Median follow-up was 48 months. Actuarial survival during the study was 73.6% (14/19).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  age was similar to that described in the literature. Males were predominant. Most cases were non-functioning (37%). Most patients underwent surgery (73%) with little morbidity (28%) and an actuarial survival of 73.6% at the time of the study.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Digestive Echoendoscopy, Centro Médico Teknon, Barcelona, Spain. varas@dr.teknon.es
authors.forename: Modesto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Varas
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gornals
authors.forename: José María
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ponseti
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alastruè
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Durán
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Llevaria
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ballesta
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Díez-Caballero
authors.forename: Vicente
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Artigas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001079:Apudoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016208:Databases, Factual; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018761:Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1 / Q000453:epidemiology; D010180:Pancreatectomy; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D015996:Survival Rate