Neuroendocrine Tumors - Diagnosis and Treatment

Abstract

Introduction: Neuroendocrine tumors originate from chromaffin-like cells and are tumors with neuroendocrine function and malignant potential. They originate from the nerve and endocrine cells spread in the entire body. NETs are a heterogeneous group with a different and complex clinical presentation, and a different location which influences mostly GIT and the pancreas. The tumor progression and the stage of the tumor process are the usual prognostic factors for NET. In recent years, with the improvements of the methods of imaging procedures, the process of diagnosis and the following surgical treatment of NET have improved significantly.Aim: The aim of this study is a retrospective analysis of the patients with neuroendocrine tumors operated on in Second Department of Surgery of UMHAT `Saint Marina` in the period 2010 - 2015.Materials and Methods: For the period between 2010 and 2015 in the Second Department of Surgery, UMHAT ` Saint Marina`, 19 patients with NET have been operated on. The gender distribution was as follows: 11 women and 8 men, with a ratio of 1.3:1. The average age of the patients was 57. The location of the tumor was as follows: large bowel - 6, the pancreas - 4, metastasis from NET-3, small intestine - 3, stomach - 2 and suprarenal gland - 1. US, CT, PET - CT were applied to all patients. The histological results were: neuroendocrine tumor - 17, insulinoma - 1, pheochromocytoma - 1.Conclusion: The NET diagnosis and treatment are part of a multidiscipline process. The surgical treatment of NET has to be considered for carefully selected patients with functional tumors, especially in the cases when they cannot be safely removed. The survival rate of patients diagnosed with NET is increasing significantly after a conducted surgical intervention even with the presence of metastases.