Indications for Surgical Resection in Low-Grade Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors. Issue 8 (August 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fitzgerald, Timothy L.; Mosquera, Catalina; Vora, Haily S.; Vohra, Nasreen A.; Zervos, Emmanuel E.
• Is Part Of: American surgeon. Volume 82:Issue 8(2016)
• Page Start: 737
• Page End: 742
• Publication Date: 2016-08
• Subjects: Surgery -- Periodicals; Surgery -- United States -- Periodicals; 617.0973
• DOI: 10.1177/000313481608200834
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0003-1348

Abstract

The role of surgical resection in low-grade pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (P-NET) is unclear. The patients diagnosed with low-grade P-NET from 1988 to 2012 were identified in SEER. Five hundred and sixty-one patients met the inclusion criteria. A majority were white (82.9%), and node negative (69.9%). Univariate analysis revealed that tumor size (<2 cm 8.3%, 2–4 cm 38.5%, and >4 cm 40.3%; P < 0.0001) and surgery (30.9% vs 25.3%; P = 0.0014) were associated with the risk of lymph node metastases (LNM). In contrast, age ( P = 0.8360), gender ( P = 0.4903), and race ( P = 0.4235) were not. Five-year disease-free survival was associated with size (<2 cm 89.4%, 2–4 cm 80.0%, and >4 cm 74.5%; P = 0.0089), LNM (72.4% vs 82.9%; P = 0.0025), and surgery (84.3% vs 47.5%; P < 0.0001). Cox regression model showed that the association with LNM ( P = 0.0025) and surgery ( P < 0.0001) was significant. Surgery was associated with an improved disease-free survival for tumors >2 cm (2–4 cm, 84.4% vs 26.0% at five years; P = 0.0003, and >4 cm, 80.5% vs 49.5% at five years; P < 0.0001) but not for those with tumor size <2 cm ( P = 0.4525). In conclusions, low-grade P-NETs in patients with tumor size >2 cm showed an increased risk of LNM and improved survival with resection.