Thirteen-month registration of patients with gastroenteropancreatic endocrine tumours in France

Expression Patterns of Immune Checkpoint Molecules and Their Clinical Values in Gastric Neuroendocrine Neoplasms

INTRODUCTION

Gastric neuroendocrine neoplasms (g-NENs) are a rare type of stomach tumor. However, limited data exist about the expression and clinical significance of B7 family ligands/receptors in patients with g-NENs. Thus, we conducted this study to address this issue in a cohort of 112 patients with g-NENs.

METHODS

Using immunohistochemistry, we mapped and quantified the expression of the B7 family ligands/receptors in 112 g-NEN samples: programmed cell death ligand 1 and 2 (PD-L1 and PD-L2), B7-H3, B7-H4, recombinant human galectin-9 (LGALS9), and CD155. Associations between the marker levels, clinicopathological variables, and survival were evaluated.

RESULTS

The percentages of high expression of PD-L1, PD-L2, B7-H3, B7-H4, LGALS9, and CD155 in the cohort of 112 g-NEN cases were 37.5%, 55.4%, 46.4%, 37.5%, 46.4%, and 51.8%, respectively. Elevated expression of PD-L1, PD-L2, B7-H3, B7-H4, LGALS9, and CD155 was significantly associated with several clinicopathological characteristics. K-M analysis indicated that high expression levels of CD155, B7-H3, PD-L2, and LGALS9 were correlated with poor overall survival (OS) ( P < 0.0001, P = 0.0002, P = 0.0319 and P = 0.0120, respectively). Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that high CD155 expression, vasculature invasion, and worse World Health Organization pathological grade were independent prognostic factors for OS ( P = 0.007, P = 0.030, and P = 0.019, respectively).

DISCUSSION

We detected variable expression of the PD-L1, PD-L2, B7-H3, B7-H4, LGALS9, and CD155 proteins in g-NENs. These results suggest that the expression level of CD155 may be a vital indicator of OS in patients with g-NENs. B7 family ligands/receptors could be potential immunotherapeutic targets for g-NENs.

Evolution of Liver Transplantation Indications: Expanding Horizons

Liver transplantation (LT) has significantly transformed the prognosis of patients with end-stage liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The traditional epidemiology of liver diseases has undergone a remarkable shift in indications for LT, marked by a decline in viral hepatitis and an increase in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), along with expanded indications for HCC. Recent advancements in surgical techniques, organ preservation and post-transplant patients' management have opened new possibilities for LT. Conditions that were historically considered absolute contraindications have emerged as potential new indications, demonstrating promising results in terms of patient survival. While these expanding indications provide newfound hope, the ethical dilemma of organ scarcity persists. Addressing this requires careful consideration and international collaboration to ensure equitable access to LT. Multidisciplinary approaches and ongoing research efforts are crucial to navigate the evolving landscape of LT. This review aims to offer a current overview of the primary emerging indications for LT, focusing on acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), acute alcoholic hepatitis (AH), intrahepatic and perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (i- and p-CCA), colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM), and neuroendocrine tumor (NET) liver metastases.

Bone Metastases in Patients with Pancreatic NETs: Prevalence and Prognosis

The clinical relevance of bone metastases (BM) in advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNETs) is poorly described. We analyzed 314 consecutive PanNET patients treated at the European Neuroendocrine Tumour Society (ENETS) Center Essen between 2009 and 2021 in terms of the occurrence and clinical and prognostic impact of BM using hybrid imaging with 68Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT. According to UICC staging, 171/314 (54.5%) patients had stage IV PanNETs. BM was diagnosed in 62/171 (36.3%) patients. Initially, 35% of BMs were visible by pathological tracer uptake only. Skeletal-related events (SREs) were detected in 11 of the 62 patients (17.7%). Patients with antiresorptive therapy had a significantly lower rate of SRE (2/36, 5.6%) than individuals without bone-specific therapy (9/26, 34.6%) (odds ratio 9.0, p=0.0054, Fisher's exact test). The median overall survival (OS) was 82 months (53.6-110.4, 95% CI) in the stage IV PanNET cohort. The median OS was significantly lower for patients with BM (63 months; 49.9-76.0, 95% CI) than for patients with distant metastases other than BM (116 months; 87.6-144.3, 95% CI) (p=0.016, log-rank test). BM occurs in more than one-third of advanced PanNETs and is associated with an unfavorable prognosis. One in five patients experiences a persistent quality-of-life-lowering SRE. Antiresorptive therapy is associated with a more favorable risk of SREs and should be offered to all patients with BM in PanNETs.

Management of non-hepatic distant metastases in neuroendocrine neoplasms

Neuroendocrine neoplasms represent an uncommon disease with an increasing incidence. Thanks to improvements in diagnostic and therapeutic methods, metastases previously considered uncommon, such as bone metastases, or even very rare, such as brain, orbital and cardiac metastases, are more frequently found in daily practice. Due to the great heterogeneity of these neoplasms, there is a lack of high-quality evidence on the management of patients with these types of metastases. The aim of this review is to provide the current state of the art, reviewing neuroendocrine neoplasm specific studies and useful information from other tumor types and to propose a treatment recommendation with algorithms to consider in daily clinical practice.

Treatment Approaches and Outcome of Patients with Neuroendocrine Neoplasia Grade 3 in German Real-World Clinical Practice

BACKGROUND

Neuroendocrine neoplasia grade 3 (NEN G3) represents a rare and heterogeneous cancer type with a poor prognosis. The aim of our study was to analyze real-world data from the German NET Registry with a focus on therapeutic and prognostic aspects.

METHODS

NEN G3 patients were identified within the German NET Registry. Demographic data and data on treatments and outcomes were retrieved. Univariate analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier-method. Multivariate analysis was performed using a Cox proportional hazard model.

RESULTS

Of 445 included patients, 318 (71.5%) were diagnosed at stage IV. Well-differentiated morphology (NET G3) was described in 31.7%, 60% of cases were classified as neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC), and the median Ki67 value was 50%. First-line treatment comprised chemotherapy in 43.8%, with differences in the choice of regimen with regard to NET or NEC, and surgery in 41.6% of patients. Median overall survival for the entire cohort was 31 months. Stage, performance status and Ki67 were significant prognostic factors in multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

The survival data of our national registry compare favorably to population-based data, probably mainly because of a relatively low median Ki67 of 50%. Nevertheless, the best first- and second-line approaches for specific subgroups remain unclear, and an international effort to fill these gaps is needed.

The Role of Conventionally Fractionated Radiotherapy and Stereotactic Radiotherapy in the Treatment of Carcinoid Tumors and Large-Cell Neuroendocrine Cancer of the Lung

The occurrence of neuroendocrine tumors among the diagnosed neoplasms is extremely rare and is associated with difficulties in undertaking effective therapy due to the histopathological differentiation of individual subtypes and the scarce clinical data and recommendations found in the literature. The choice of treatment largely depends not only on its type, but also on the location and production of excess hormones by the tumor itself. Common therapeutic approaches include surgical removal of the tumor, the use of chemotherapy, targeted drug therapy, peptide receptor radionuclide therapy, and the use of radiation therapy. This article reviews the current knowledge on the classification and application of radiotherapy in the treatment of lung NETs. Case reports were presented in which treatment with conventional radiotherapy, radical and palliative radiochemotherapy, as well as stereotactic fractionated radiotherapy in the treatment of typical (TC) and atypical (AT) lung carcinoids and large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNC) were used. We hope that the solutions presented in the literature will allow many radiation oncologists to make the best, often personalized decisions about the therapeutic qualifications of patients.

Multicenter Analysis of Presacral Neuroendocrine Neoplasms-Clinicopathological Characterization and Treatment Outcomes of a Rare Disease

Background and Aims

Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) of the presacral space are an extremely rare disease entity with largely unknown outcome and no established standard of care treatment. Therefore, we wanted to analyze clinical presentation, histopathological findings, treatment outcomes, and prognosis in a multicentric patient cohort.

Methods

We searched local databases of six German NEN centers for patients with presacral NEN. Retrospective descriptive analyses of age, sex, stage at diagnosis, symptoms, grade, immunohistochemical investigations, biomarkers, treatment, and treatment outcome were performed. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to determine median overall survival.

Results

We identified 17 patients (11 female, 6 male) with a median age of 50 years (range, 35-66) at diagnosis. Twelve cases presented initially with distant metastases including bone metastases in nine cases. On pathological review the majority of patients had well-differentiated G2 tumors. Immunohistochemical profile resembled rectal NENs. All but one patient had non-functioning tumors. Somatostatin receptor imaging was positive in 14 of 15 investigated cases. Eight patients were treated surgically including palliative resections; 14 patients received somatostatin analogs with limited efficacy. With 14 PRRTs completed, 79% showed clinical benefit, whereas only one patient with neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC) responded to chemotherapy. Treatment with everolimus in three patients was not successful, whereas cabozantinib resulted in a disease stabilization in a heavily pretreated patient. During a median observation period of 44.5 months, 6 patients died. Median overall survival was not reached.

Conclusion

Presacral NEN are histopathologically similar to rectal NENs. Presacral NEN should be considered as possible primary in NEN of unknown primary. The majority of tumors is non-functioning and somatostatin receptor positive. PRRT demonstrated promising activity; tyrosine kinase inhibitors warrant further investigations. Further molecular characterization and prospective evaluation of this rare tumor entity are needed.

Symptomatic spinal metastases from neuroendocrine neoplasms: surgical outcomes and prognostic analysis

OBJECTIVES

In this article, we investigated the efficiency of surgery in treating symptomatic spinal metastases from neuroendocrine neoplasms and performed univariate analysis for identification of possible prognostic factors.

METHODS

A retrospective study was performed, enrolling a total of 19 patients who received surgeries in our center for symptomatic spinal metastases from neuroendocrine neoplasms (NEN). The Kaplan-Meier method was adopted to estimate overall survival (OS) and recurrence free survival (RFS). Univariate analysis was performed for identification of possible prognostic factors.

RESULTS

All patients recruited displayed stable recovery after surgical intervention, with a median OS of 27.3 months (95% Confidence Interval: 16.4-38.1 months) and a median RFS of 23.0 months (95% Confidence Interval: 12.1-33.8 months). Postoperatively, 15 patients exhibited improved neurological function based on the Frankel classification, while 16 patients experienced significant pain relief, with mean visual analog scale (VAS) score decreasing from 7.47 ± 2.32-2.47 ± 1.25 (p < 0.05). Univariate analysis revealed that the presence of visceral metastases (p = 0.034) and extraspinal bone metastases (p = 0.016) are both related with poor prognosis. Additionally, well histologic differentiation (p = 0.010) and administration of postoperative octreotide (p = 0.041) or bisphosphonate (p = 0.023) are all indicators for better outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

Surgery is an efficient option for treating symptomatic spinal metastases from NEN due to its immediate and assured benefits in pain alleviation, restoration of function and stability reconstruction.

Phakomatoses and Endocrine Gland Tumors: Noteworthy and (Not so) Rare Associations

Phakomatoses encompass a group of rare genetic diseases, such as von Hippel-Lindau syndrome (VHL), neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) and Cowden syndrome (CS). These disorders are due to molecular abnormalities on the RAS-PI3K-Akt-mTOR pathway for NF1, TSC and CS, and to hypoxia sensing for VHL. Phakomatoses share some phenotypic traits such as neurological, ophthalmological and cutaneous features. Patients with these diseases are also predisposed to developing multiple endocrine tissue tumors, e.g., pheochromocytomas/paragangliomas are frequent in VHL and NF1. All forms of phakomatoses except CS may be associated with digestive neuroendocrine tumors. More rarely, thyroid cancer and pituitary or parathyroid adenomas have been reported. These susceptibilities are noteworthy, because their occurrence rate, prognosis and management differ slightly from the sporadic forms. The aim of this review is to summarize current knowledge on endocrine glands tumors associated with VHL, NF1, TSC, and CS, especially neuroendocrine tumors and pheochromocytomas/paragangliomas. We particularly detail recent advances concerning prognosis and management, especially parenchyma-sparing surgery and medical targeted therapies such as mTOR, MEK and HIF-2 α inhibitors, which have shown truly encouraging results.

Bone Metastases in Neuroendocrine Tumors: Molecular Pathogenesis and Implications in Clinical Practice

Skeletal colonization is often regarded as a rare event in patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) although both national registries and retrospective series report an incidence of bone metastases as high as 20% in subjects with advanced disease. While the biological mechanisms leading to bone metastatic colonization in NETs have been poorly investigated so far, key steps of osteotropic mechanisms, including the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, preparation of the premetastatic niche, migration of circulating tumor cells towards the bone marrow as well as the resulting alterations of the skeletal metabolism, are likely to operate also during the development of NET bone metastases. The skeleton involvement by NETs has a detrimental impact on both quality of life and patients' prognosis, leading to pain in the majority of symptomatic subjects. While it is currently unclear whether or not the earlier recognition of bone involvement by PET/CT imaging techniques employing 68Ga-DOTA-conjugated peptides might improve outcomes through the exploitation of timely treatments, the management of bone-colonizing NETs is today based only on clinical experience from other osteotropic tumors. Here, we summarize the fundamental molecular mechanisms driving bone colonization and revisit both established and novel treatments for patients with bone metastatic NETs.

A rare case of a patient with a high grade neuroendocrine tumor developing neutropenic sepsis after receiving PRRT combined with Capecitabine or Temozolomide: A case report

Neuroendocrine tumors (NET) are rare and demonstrate variable clinical behavior depending on the degree of tumor differentiation. Patients with poorly differentiated tumors (NET G3) have a poor prognosis. Systemic treatment with cytotoxic chemotherapy is considered to be the treatment of choice. In patients that are refractory or intolerant to first-line therapy, experts recommend peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) in tumors that express somatostatin receptors. Recently, combinations of PRRT and chemotherapy were tested in patients with NET. Available data have reported promising tumor control rates and an excellent toxicity profile in cases where PRRT had been administered with capecitabine/temozolomide, even when administered as salvage therapy. The current study reported an exceptional case of advanced NET G3 with severe toxicity upon receiving PRRT in combination with capecitabine/temozolomide as third line therapy. The patient developed a life-threatening neutropenic fever, fungal pneumonia and necrotizing mastitis 23 days after the first cycle of therapy was administered. However, the treatment led to a significant reduction in tumor size. A total of 5 months after treatment initiation, the patient was alive and in excellent clinical condition with sustained tumor response. In summary, the current study presented a rare case of high grade NET exhibiting an almost complete response to PRRT in combination capecitabine/temozolomide, despite facing unexpected severe toxicity.

Clinicopathological heterogeneity between primary and metastatic sites of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasm

Background

Chromogranin A (CgA), synaptophysin (Syn) and the Ki-67 index play significant roles in diagnosis or the evaluation of the proliferative activity of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (GEP-NENs). However, little is known about whether these biological markers change during tumor metastasis and whether such changes have effect on prognosis.

Methods

We analyzed 35 specimens of both primary and metastatic tumor from 779 patients who had been diagnosed as GEP-NENs at Wuhan Union Hospital from August 2011 to October 2019. The heterogeneity of CgA, Syn and Ki-67 index was evaluated by immunohistochemical analysis.

Results

Among these 779 patients, the three most common sites of NENs in the digestive tract were the pancreas, rectum and stomach. Metastases were found in 311 (39.9%) patients. Among the 35 patients with both primary and metastatic pathological specimens, differences in the Ki-67 level were detected in 54.3% of the patients, while 37.1% showed a difference in CgA and only 11.4% showed a difference in Syn. Importantly, due to the difference in the Ki-67 index between primary and metastatic lesions, the WHO grade was changed in 8.6% of the patients. In addition, a Kaplan–Meier survival analysis showed that patients with Ki-67 index variation had a shorter overall survival (p = 0.0346), while neither Syn variation nor CgA variation was related to patient survival (p = 0.7194, p = 0.4829).

Conclusions

Our data indicate that primary and metastatic sites of GEP-NENs may exhibit pathological heterogeneity. Ki-67 index variation is closely related to the poor prognosis of patients with tumor metastasis, but neither Syn variation nor CgA variation is related to patient prognosis. Therefore, clinicopathologic evaluation of the primary tumor and metastatic sites could be helpful for predicting the prognosis.

Medical Treatment of Advanced Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms

Pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (panNENs) are relatively rare but their incidence has increased almost sevenfold over the last four decades. Neuroendocrine neoplasms are classified according to their histologic differentiation and their grade. Their grade is based on their Ki-67 proliferation index and mitotic index. Their prognosis is highly variable according to these elements and treatments also vary according to their classification. Surgery is the only curative treatment for localized and advanced panNENs and offers a better prognosis than non-surgical treatments. In the case of an advanced panNEN without the possibility of resection and/or ablation, medical treatment remains the cornerstone for improving survival and preserving quality-of-life. PanNENs are considered as chemosensitive tumors, unlike midgut neuroendocrine tumors. Thus, panNENs can be treated with chemotherapy, but targeted therapies and somatostatin analogs are also treatment options. The scarcity and heterogeneity of NENs make their management difficult. The present review aims to clarify the medical treatments currently available for advanced panNENs, based on their characteristics, and to propose a treatment algorithm.

Long-term outcome of surgical resection in patients with gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasia: results from a German nation-wide multi-centric registry

BACKGROUND

Neuroendocrine neoplasia (NEN) are rare and heterogenous tumours. Few data exist on the impact of surgical therapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This is a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of gastroenteropancreatic NEN in the German NET-Registry (1999-2012). It focuses on patients without distant metastases (limited disease, LD, stage I-IIIB).

RESULTS

Data of 2239 patients with NEN were recorded. Median age was 59 years, the gender ratio was 1:1.3 (f:m). A total of 986 patients (44%) had LD, and the 5-year survival rate (5 years) was 77% for all and 90% for patients with LD. A total of 1635 patients (73%) received a surgical therapy (1st to 6th line); the 5 and 10 ysr were 83/65% after and 59/35% without surgery for all patients (p < .001). The resection margins in the LD patients were 76%, 16%, and 3% for R0, R1 and R2, respectively. The 10 ysr was 84%, 59% and 42% for R0, R1 and R2 resections, respectively (p = .021 R0/R1, p < .001 R0/R2). The R0 resection rate was 75% for G1/G2 NET and 67% for G3 NEC.

CONCLUSION

The rate of complete tumour resection (R0) in LD is independent of tumour grading, and R0 resection is the key determinant of long-term survival, as demonstrated by the 10 ysr. of 84%. All NEN patients with limited disease should be considered for operation, if possible, as the best 10-year survival is shown after an R0 resection.

Clinicopathological Study of 100 Cases of Neuroendocrine Neoplasms of the Gastroenteropancreatic System: A Tertiary Cancer Center Experience

Background: The incidence of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (GEP-NENs) is on the rise. Although the clinicopathologic characteristics of NENs have been previously reviewed in the literature, the data published in the Indian literature so far are sparse. This study aims to review the clinicopathological features of GEP-NENs, diagnosed at our institution, and that were classified and graded according to the World Health Organization 2010 classification system. Materials and Methods: One hundred patients with GEP-NENs presenting to our institute from August 2012 to May 2016 were analyzed retrospectively. Demographic data and tumor characteristics were expressed as number, percentage, and mean value. Tumor grade was correlated to metastasis through the Chi-square test. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Of the 100 cases studied, 58 were male and 42 were female. The most common primary site was the pancreas (n = 36), followed by the small intestine (n = 19), esophagus (n = 17), stomach (n = 15), colon (n = 6), rectum (n = 4), and appendix (n = 3). The incidence of neuroendocrine tumor (NET) Grade 1 (NET G1) was higher (n = 40) compared to NET Grade 2 (NET G2) (n = 25) and neuroendocrine carcinoma Grade 3 (NEC G3) (n = 35). Overall in these 100 cases, NET G1 tumors and NET G2 tumors were most common in the pancreas (n = 18/36) and (n = 13/36), respectively. NEC G3 tumors were most common in the esophagus (n = 16/17). The most common site of distant metastasis was the liver (n = 23/26). Conclusion: We elucidated the epidemiological and clinicopathological features of patients presenting to our institute with GEP-NENs.

Épidémiologie des tumeurs neuroendocrines intestinales

Les données disponibles concernant l’incidence et les facteurs pronostiques des tumeurs neuroendocrines (TNE) digestives sont souvent fragmentaires. Les TNE digestives sont rares et représentent environ 1 % des cancers digestifs. En France, l’incidence des TNE digestives malignes est estimée à 1,1/100 000 chez l’homme et à 0,9/100 000 chez la femme. L’incidence augmente au cours du temps. Du fait de leur longue survie, les TNE constituent, après le cancer colorectal, le cancer digestif dont la prévalence est la plus élevée. La plupart des TNE sont bien différenciées, les carcinomes neuroendocrines peu différenciés représentent moins de 20 % des TNE digestives. Parmi les TNE bien différenciées intestinales, les localisations les plus fréquentes sont l’intestin grêle et le colorectal. Plus de la moitié des TNE sont diagnostiquées au stade métastatique, principalement au niveau hépatique. Le degré de différenciation, le grade histologique, la localisation du primitif et le stade sont les principaux facteurs pronostiques. Les taux de survie relative à cinq ans étaient de 4,5 % pour les tumeurs peu différenciées versus plus de 55 % pour les TNE bien différenciées.

Epidemiological Data and Treatment of Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms: Insights From Tertiary Referral Hospitals in Latvia

BACKGROUND

Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (GEP-NEN) are rare, heterogeneous group which tend to rise in incidence. Epidemiological profile and outcomes of GEP-NEN may vary among countries. The aim of study was to provide baseline clinical and histopathological features of patients with GEP-NEN from tertiary referral hospitals in Latvia.

METHODS

A retrospective study of patients with histologically confirmed diagnosis of GEP-NEN treated between 2006 and 2018. Joinpoint regression modeling was used to estimate annual percentage change (APC) for incidence trends. Overall survival (OS) rate was obtained by Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTS

In total, 205 patients were included. The median age at diagnosis was 61.0 (IQR 52.0-70.5) years, 69.3% were females. The age-adjusted incidence per 100 000 inhabitants increased from 0.03 in 2006 to 0.67 in 2018 with APC of 24.1%, p < 0.005. The most common primary tumor site was pancreas (30.7%), followed by stomach (24.9%) and small intestine (20.5%). Non-functional tumors are present in 83.4%, while carcinoid syndrome in 7.8%. Stage IV metastatic disease was present in 27.8% tumors. The majority of patients (82%) received an operation with radical or palliative intent. The 1- and 3-year OS rate were 88.0% (95% CI 83.3-92.7) and 77.1% (95% CI 70.4-83.8), respectively. Increasing tumor grade, stage and the presence of distant metastases were associated with significantly worse OS.

CONCLUSION

Our study highlights increasing incidence of GEP-NEN in Latvia. The most common primary site was pancreas and surgery considered as main modality of treatment. Registry and long-term data collection are necessary to develop GEP-NEN management concept in Latvia.

Bone Metastases in Neuroendocrine Neoplasms: From Pathogenesis to Clinical Management

Bone represents a common site of metastases for several solid tumors. However, the ability of neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) to localize to bone has always been considered a rare and late event. Thanks to the improvement of therapeutic options, which results in longer survival, and of imaging techniques, particularly after the introduction of positron emission tomography (PET) with gallium peptides, the diagnosis of bone metastases (BMs) in NENs is increasing. The onset of BMs can be associated with severe skeletal complications that impair the patient’s quality of life. Moreover, BMs negatively affect the prognosis of NEN patients, bringing out the lack of curative treatment options for advanced NENs. The current knowledge on BMs in gastro-entero-pancreatic (GEP) and bronchopulmonary (BP) NENs is still scant and is derived from a few retrospective studies and case reports. This review aims to perform a critical analysis of the evidence regarding the role of BMs in GEP- and BP-NENs, focusing on the molecular mechanisms underlining the development of BMs, as well as clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of BMs, in an attempt to provide suggestions that can be used in clinical practice.

The prognosis and management of neuroendocrine neoplasms-related metastatic bone disease: lessons from clinical practice

PURPOSE

To study the evolution and optimal management of metastatic bone disease (mBD) in patients with neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs).

METHODS

Seventy-four patients were recruited from four NEN centers in this observational multicenter study.

RESULTS

Pancreas and small bowel were the most common primaries (30 and 27%, respectively). Almost all gastrointestinal (GI)-NENs were grades 1 and 2, whereas bronchopulmonary-thymic were atypical carcinoids. Thirty-two (43%) patients had synchronous metastatic bone disease (mBD) and three patients reported bone-specific symptoms; metachronous mBD developed at a median of 35 (range: 4-395) months. Thirty-six (86%) of patients with metachronous mBD had stage IV disease at diagnosis. Somatostatin receptor functional imaging and computed tomography were the modalities mostly used for mBD identification. Fifty-two patients received assessable bone-related therapy (bisphosphonates, denosumab, local radiotherapy, and radionuclide treatment). Improvement in mBD was seen in 5, stable disease in 22, and deterioration in 25 patients. The presence of synchronous mBD and the negative outcome of bone-related therapy negatively affected overall survival (OS). In the multivariate analysis, the stronger predictor of OS was the outcome of bone-related therapy (HR: 4.753; 95% CI: 1.589-14.213). Bisphosphonates therapy was the mostly used bone-specific treatment but its monthly administration did not affect OS. At last follow-up, 39 patients were alive with OS 50 (14-463) months.

CONCLUSIONS

Early investigation for mBD offers a prognostic marker of patients with NENs, since synchronous mBD has a negative impact on survival. The outcome of bone-related therapy affects OS but the monthly administration of bisphosphonates did not show a benefit over less intense schemes.

Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasia Characterization in Portugal: Results from the NETs Study Group of the Portuguese Society of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism

BACKGROUND

The incidence of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (GEP-NENs) has been increasing in the last five decades, but there is no large-scale data regarding these tumours in Portugal. We conducted a cross-sectional, multicentric study in main Portuguese centers to evaluate the clinical, pathological, and therapeutic profile of GEP-NENs.

METHODS

From November, 2012, to July, 2014, data from 293 patients diagnosed with GEP-NENs from 15 centers in Portugal was collected and registered in an online electronic platform.

RESULTS

Median age at diagnosis was 56.5 (range: 15-87) years with a preponderance of females (54.6%). The most frequent primary sites were the pancreas (31.1%), jejunum-ileum (24.2%), stomach (13.7%), and rectum (8.5%). Data regarding hormonal status was not available in most patients (82.3%). Stratified by the tumour grade (WHO 2010 classification), we observed 64.0% of NET G1, 24.7% of NET G2, and 11.3% of NEC. Poorly differentiated tumours occurred mainly in older patients (p = 0.017), were larger (p < 0.001), and presented more vascular (p = 0.004) and lymphatic (p = 0.001) invasion. At the time of diagnosis, 44.4% of GEP-NENs presented metastatic disease. Surgery (79.6%) and somatostatin analogues (30.7%) were the most frequently used therapies of GEP-NENs with reported grading.

CONCLUSION

In general, Portuguese patients with GEP-NENs presented similar characteristics to other populations described in the literature. This cross-sectional study represents the first step to establish a national database of GEP-NENs that may aid in understanding the clinical and epidemiological features of these tumours in Portugal.

Global burden of neuroendocrine tumors and changing incidence in Kentucky

Background

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) have a low incidence but relatively high prevalence. Over the last three decades, the incidence of NETs has risen 6-fold in the United States. We conducted an observational study to compare the incidence of NETs reported to the Kentucky Cancer Registry (KCR) versus that reported to Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER). We also provide a systematic review of the state of neuroendocrine tumors worldwide, and compare the available global and local published data.

Methods

KCR and SEER databases were queried for NET cases between 1995 and 2015. A detailed literature review of epidemiological data for various nations worldwide summarize epidemiological data from various countries.

Results

KCR recorded 6179 individuals with newly diagnosed NETs between 1995 and 2015. Between 1995-2012, the incidence of NETs in KCR increased from 3.1 to 7.1 per 100,000 cases, while it increased from 3.96 to 6.61 in the SEER database. The incidence rates in both KCR and SEER databases were linear. 90.57% were Caucasians with 54.74% females. 27.67% of the Kentucky population was from the Appalachian region. Patients aged 50-64 years had the highest prevalence (38%). Lung NET (30.60%) formed the bulk of cases, followed by small intestine (16.82%), rectum/anus (11.35%) and colon (9.71%).

Conclusions

NETs incidence between 1995 and 2015 show a linear increase in both KCR and SEER databases. Because of this increased incidence it is imperative for community oncologists to familiarize themselves with this entity, which until recently was under-studied and with few viable treatment options.

Biochemical Testing in Neuroendocrine Tumors

Neuroendocrine cells are widely distributed throughout the body. They can produce, store, and secrete peptides and biogenic amines. Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are rare, but most are found in the intestine, pancreas, and lung. NETs may cause specific hormonal symptoms (eg, carcinoid syndrome) or appear nonfunctional. Blood or urine concentrations of tumor-secreted amines and peptides have been used as biomarkers in the diagnosis and management of NETs. This article focuses on currently available biochemical testing of blood or urine for gastroenteropancreatic and lung NETs and discusses the limitations of these tests and the potential role of newer multianalyte markers for NET management.

Clinical Validation of a Pixon-Based Reconstruction Method Allowing a Twofold Reduction in Planar Images Time of 111In-Pentetreotide Somatostatin Receptor Scintigraphy

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Antisecretory Effects of Chimeric Somatostatin/Dopamine Receptor Ligands on Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors

OBJECTIVES

The recent finding that gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors expressed the dopaminergic D2 receptor in addition to somatostatin (sst) receptors suggested that multiple targeting approaches might decrease hormone hypersecretion more effectively than sst agonists alone.

METHODS

To test this hypothesis, (i) we measured the expression of sst receptor type 2 (sst2 receptor) and D2 receptor in 11 gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors and (ii) we compared the ability of lanreotide, cabergoline, their combination, and sst/D2 chimeric ligands to decrease chromogranin A (CgA), gastrin, or serotonin release in primary cultures derived from these tumors.

RESULTS

Moderate to high positivity was observed for sst2 receptor and D2 receptor, the latter being more expressed in pancreatic tumors. Lanreotide decreased CgA secretion in all cultures, but only 3 tumors responded to cabergoline. No additivity was observed in lanreotide. BIM 23A781 decreased CgA release to the same extent as lanreotide, whereas the other chimeric ligands were less efficient. However, BIM 23A781 was 50 times less potent than lanreotide. Similar patterns were found for gastrin or serotonin.

CONCLUSION

No improvement was brought by the sst/D2 combination or chimeric ligands. Factors that underlie these tissue-specific differences remain to be elucidated.

Changes in the Epidemiology of Neuroendocrine Tumours

BACKGROUND

The reviewing and assessment of epidemiological characteristics of neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) remains a challenge. Despite the fact that it is an uncommon family of neoplasms, several worldwide series have revealed an increasing incidence of this rare condition. However, the data are difficult to compare over time due to changes in classification.

METHODS

We compared the data related to incidence, prevalence, stage of the disease at diagnosis and survival reported in several series, focusing on the differences and trying to examine some of the probable reasons that may explain the variations in the results between studies.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of NETs is increasing over time, and their incidental discovery due to improved and more frequent imaging does not seem to be enough to explain this rise. Significant differences can be found between geographic regions and races, suggesting that environmental or genetic factors may contribute to the clinical and biological behaviour of these tumours; increasing our knowledge of oncogenesis will be necessary to explain them. As with other rare diseases, creating specific databases and multidisciplinary working groups would improve the accuracy of the information gained.

Prevalence of hepatic lesion types defined by T2-weighted and dynamic gadolinium-enhanced MR imaging in patients with metastasized neuroendocrine tumors

PURPOSE

Identifying liver metastases from neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) is a pretherapeutic challenge in patients who are candidates for liver resection. The aims of our study are to characterize and determine the frequency of different MRI characteristics of liver metastases caused by NETs in a lesion-by-lesion analysis and to determine the frequency of monomorphous and polymorphous metastases in a patient-by-patient analysis.

METHODS

This retrospective study involved 47 patients with liver metastases arising from histologically confirmed NETs. In a lesion-by-lesion analysis, we classified these metastases according to their MRI characteristics as follows: hypervascular lesions with homogeneous or peripheral enhancement, hypovascular lesions, pure cystic lesions, and mixed solid/cystic lesions. In the patient-by-patient analysis, we distinguished patients whose metastases had the same MRI characteristics from patients with mixed lesion characteristics.

RESULTS

A total of 376 metastases were analyzed. Of these, 84.3% (n = 317) were hypervascular, with 51.9% showing homogeneous enhancement and 32.4% (n = 122) showing peripheral enhancement. Another 7.4% (n = 28) were hypovascular, 5.3% (n = 20) were pure cystic, and 2.9% (n = 11) were mixed solid/cystic. After excluding three patients with solitary lesions, 40.9% of patients (n = 18) had mixed-type lesions, consisting of hypervascular lesions with either homogeneous or peripheral enhancement in 27.3% of cases (n = 12), while 59.1% of patients (n = 26) had identical lesions.

CONCLUSION

Approximately 15% of metastases have atypical MRI characteristics and are either hypovascular or cystic. Metastases with different MRI characteristics coexist in 40% of patients.

Epidemiological features of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors in Chengdu city with a population of 14 million based on data from a single institution

AIM

Recent studies on gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs) in the United States as well as the European studies demonstrate an increasing GEP-NETs incidence. Most information on the epidemiology of neuroendocrine tumors comes from western countries. However, the epidemiological profile of GEP-NETs in West China is still unclear. The aim of study was to reflect the regional features of GEP-NETs in Chengdu city of West China based on data from a single institution.

METHODS

West China Hospital (WCH), the largest university hospital located in Chengdu (West China) with population of 14.04 million, has established a serial of databases in recent years. According to the data from Medical Records Section of WCH and Chengdu Health Bureau, the total patients per year in WCH covered about 25.6-28% patients of Chengdu city during the 5 years. Therefore, we have used GEP-NETs diagnosed in WCH from 2009 to 2013 to reflect the regional epidemiological profile of GEP-NETs.

RESULTS

GEP-NETs proportion in WCH increased 1.6-folds during past 5 years from 1.28/10(5) to 2.03/10(5) , P < 0.05. The average duration of symptom before diagnosis was 16.8 months. About 46.6% (115/248) of GEP-NETs were metastatic. Seventy-seven percent (190/248) of patients were over 40 years. Proportions of GEP-NETs from primary sites were rectum 30.6% (76/248), pancreas 23.4% (58/248), gastric 13.3% (33/248) and esophagus 11.3% (28/248). Proportions of insulinoma, vipoma and nonfunctional pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (P-NETs) were 43.1% (25/58), 1.7% (1/58) and 55.2% (32/58) separately in the P-NETs.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a distinct epidemiologic profile between West China and western countries based on a single institution data. The delayed diagnosis reflects inadequate disease awareness of GEP-NETs and paucity of research funding.

Reviewing the Osteotropism in Neuroendocrine Tumors: The Role of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition

BACKGROUND

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) metastasize to the bone. However, the incidence, clinical features, management and pathogenesis of bone involvement in NET patients have been poorly investigated.

METHODS

We reviewed all published reports of histologically confirmed bone metastatic NETs and explored clinical, radiological, prognostic and therapeutic characteristics in a population of 152 patients. We then evaluated immunohistochemical expression of a panel of eight epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related factors including SNAIL, TGF-β1, CTGF, IL-11, PTHrP, EpCAM, CXCR4 and RANK in an independent cohort of 44 archival primary NETs. Biomarker expression was correlated with clinicopathological variables, including skeletal involvement, and tested for survival prediction.

RESULTS

We found that 55% of NET patients with bone metastases were male, with a median age of 55 years at diagnosis. Metastases were restricted to the skeleton in 34% of the NET population, and axial and osteoblastic lesions were prevalent. NETs differently expressed proteins involved in EMT activation. High CXCR4 (p < 0.0001) and low TGF-β1 levels (p = 0.0015) were significantly associated with increased risk of skeletal metastases, suggesting that EMT is implicated in NET osteotropism. By applying an algorithm measuring distinct immunohistochemical predictors of osteotropism on primary tumors, we were able to identify NET patients with bone metastases with a sensitivity and specificity of 91 and 100%, respectively (p < 0.0001). Patients whose primary tumors expressed CTGF (p = 0.0007) as well as the truncated form of EpCAM (p = 0.06) showed shorter survival.

CONCLUSION

Although underestimated, bone metastases are a prominent feature of NETs, and the tumor expression of EMT markers at diagnosis may predict concurrent or subsequent skeleton colonization.

Management of follow-up of neuroendocrine neoplasias

Neuroendocrine neoplasias (NEN) comprise heterogeneous epithelial neoplasms with a large variety of clinical presentations, treatment options and outcomes. Since potentially all NEN bear malignant potential it is important for long-term clinical management and improvement of outcome to decide on successful and oncologically and economically meaningful follow-up strategies. Evidence-based outcome data validating specific follow-up strategies are, however, not available to date and thus outcome data, known prognostic factors and clinical experience guide the decisions on follow-up regimens. The review summarizes general recommendations as well as specific considerations based on tumor entities, clinicopathological tumor characteristics and clinical experience. Follow-up shall serve the patient to improve outcome, benefit from more effective therapies and suffer less from unnecessary and/or toxic therapeutic interventions and finally preserve or gain a good quality of life.

Metachronous hormonal syndromes in patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: a case-series study

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) may evolve and cause hormonal hypersecretion-related symptoms that were not present at the initial diagnosis, termed metachronous hormonal syndromes (MHSs). Their setting, characteristics, and outcomes are not well-described.

OBJECTIVE

To describe MHSs in patients with sporadic PNETs.

DESIGN

Retrospective, multicenter study.

SETTING

4 French referral centers.

PATIENTS

Patients with PNETs who developed MHSs related to hypersecretion of insulin, gastrin, vasoactive intestinal peptide, or glucagon between January 2009 and January 2014.

MEASUREMENTS

Tumor extension, biological markers, and treatments at initial PNET diagnosis and MHS onset. Pathologic specimens were evaluated centrally, including Ki-67 index and hormone immunolabeling.

RESULTS

Of 435 patients with PNETs, 15 (3.4%) were identified as having MHSs involving the hypersecretion of insulin (5 patients), vasoactive intestinal peptide (5 patients), gastrin (2 patients), or glucagon (4 patients). Metachronous hormonal syndromes developed after a median of 55 months (range, 7 to 219) and in the context of PNET progression, stability, and tumor response in 8, 6, and 1 patients, respectively. The median Ki-67 index was 7% (range, 1% to 19%) at PNET diagnosis and 17.5% (range, 2.0% to 70.0%) at MHS onset. Immunolabeling of MHS-related peptides was retrospectively found in 8 of 14 of pathologic PNET specimens obtained before MHS diagnosis. Median survival after MHS onset was 28 months (range, 3 to 56). Seven patients with MHSs died during follow-up, all due to PNETs, including 4 patients with insulin-related MHSs.

LIMITATION

Retrospective data collection and heterogeneity of pathologic specimen size and origin.

CONCLUSION

Metachronous hormonal syndromes were identified more often in the context of PNET progression and increased Ki-67 indices. Patients with insulin-related MHSs may have decreased survival rates.

PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE

None.

Neuroendocrine Carcinomas of the Gastroenteropancreatic System: A Comprehensive Review

To date, empirical literature has generally been considered lacking in relation to neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs), the highly malignant subgroup of neuroendocrine neoplasms. NECs are often found in the lungs or the gastroenteropancreatic (GEP) system and can be of small or large cell type. Concentrating on GEP-NECs, we can conclude that survival times are poor, with a median of only 4–16 months depending on disease stage and primary site. Further, this aggressive disease appears to be on the rise, with incidence numbers increasing while survival times are stagnant. Treatment strategies concerning surgery are often undecided and second-line chemotherapy is not yet established. After an analysis of over 2600 articles, we can conclude that there is indeed more empirical literature concerning GEP-NECs available than previously assumed. This unique review is based on 333 selected articles and contains detailed information concerning all aspects of GEP-NECs. Namely, the classification, histology, genetic abnormalities, epidemiology, origin, biochemistry, imaging, treatment and survival of GEP-NECs are described. Also, organ-specific summaries with more detail in relation to disease presentation, diagnosis, treatment and survival are presented. Finally, key points are discussed with directions for future research priorities.

Updating the surgical management of peritoneal carcinomatosis in patients with neuroendocrine tumors

Well-differentiated digestive neuroendocrine tumors (NET) are a heterogeneous group of neoplasms usually associated with slow growth but a high rate of metastases, including peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC). Herein, we aimed to comprehensively review the current knowledge of PC in terms of implications for the management and prognosis of patients with NET, including the latest studies and expert statements. NET-derived PC concerns about 17% of NET patients and up to 30% of those with small intestine primary NET. It has an independent pejorative prognostic impact. The extent of PC in NET patients and its severity can be expressed by analogy to other malignancies. However, it must be placed in the context of NET disorders, which usually vary from other PC-related malignancies. Recently, a gravity PC score was proposed by a consensus European Neuroendocrine Tumor Society (ENETS) expert group, but it requires validation. In addition, the form of peritoneal involvement (nodular or fusiform/infiltrative) might influence its prognosis and management. Aggressive surgical management seems justified for subsets of NET-related PC but requires careful selection of the candidates most likely to benefit. Cytoreductive surgery prolongs survival, especially when the peritoneal lesions are completely resected. Too little is known about the benefit of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy for NET-derived PC, but if it confers an advantage, it would have to be counterbalanced by its high morbidity.

Bevacizumab combined with 5-FU/streptozocin in patients with progressive metastatic well-differentiated pancreatic endocrine tumours (BETTER trial)--a phase II non-randomised trial

AIM OF THE STUDY

Neuroendocrine tumours are highly vascular neoplasms known to overexpress vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor. Bevacizumab, an inhibitor of VEGF, was assessed in combination with chemotherapy in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumour (P-NET).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

BETTER was a multicentre, open-label, non-randomised, two-group phase II trial. Patients with progressive metastatic, well-differentiated P-NET received a minimum of 6 month treatment of bevacizumab at 7.5 mg/kg IV on d1 q3w with 5-FU at 400 mg/m2/day and streptozocin at 500 mg/m2/day IV from d1 to d5 every 42 days. The primary end-point was progression-free survival (PFS); secondary end-points were overall survival (OS), overall response rate, safety and quality of life.

RESULTS

A total of 34 patients were included. Median age was 55 years, 65% of patients were men, 97% had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 or 1 and 97% had a Ki-67 proliferative index of <15%. After a maximum of 24 month follow-up per patient, the median PFS assessed by investigators was 23.7 months [95% confidence interval (CI): 13.1; not reached], 19 (56%) patients had a partial response and 15 (44%) had stable disease as best response. OS rate at 24 months was 88%. The most frequently reported grade 3-4 adverse events were hypertension (21% patients), abdominal pain (12%) and thromboembolic events (9%).

CONCLUSION

Bevacizumab with 5-FU/streptozocin in the treatment of pancreatic NETs seems to be feasible with a PFS of 23.7 months, which deserves further attention. No unexpected toxicity was observed.

Comprehensive treatment of a functional pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor with multifocal liver metastases

A 64-year-old man was admitted to the Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center with chief complaints of recurrent abdominal pain and diarrhea for about 3 years and with a history of surgical repair for intestinal perforation owing to stress ulcer. Positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) demonstrated a primary tumor on the pancreatic tail with multifocal liver metastases. Pathological and immunohistochemistry staining revealed the lesion to be a pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (pNET). According to the latest World Health Organization (WHO, 2013) classification, the tumor was classified as stage IV functional G1 pNET. After referral to the multidisciplinary treatment board (MDT), the patient was started on periodic dose of omeprazole, somatostatin analogues and Interferon α (IFNα) and had scanning follow-ups. Based upon the imaging results, CT-guided radioactive iodine-125 ((125)I) seeds implantation therapy, radiofrequency ablation therapy (RFA) or microwave ablation technique were chosen for the treatment of the primary tumor. Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), RFA and microwave ablation techniques were decided upon for liver metastases. The patient showed beneficial response to the treatment with clinically manageable low-grade side effects and attained partial remission (RECIST criteria) with a good quality of life.

Role of Ki-67 proliferation index in the assessment of patients with neuroendocrine neoplasias regarding the stage of disease

BACKGROUND

Neuroendocrine neoplasias (NEN) of the gastroenteropancreatic (GEP) system frequently present with metastatic deposits. The proliferation marker Ki-67 is used for diagnosis and to assess the prognosis of disease. The aim of our study was to evaluate the usefulness of Ki-67 % in the assessment of NEN patients with regard to their disease stage in clinical practice. Additionally, a comparative analysis of Ki-67 levels among different sites of disease was performed.

METHODS

This retrospective study included patients with GEP NEN referred to our center from 2010 to 2012. The NEN diagnosis was confirmed by standard histopathology. Ki-67 immunohistochemistry was done on paraffin-embedded sections using an automated Leica immunohistochemistry machine. NEN grading was carried out according to European Neuroendocrine Tumor Society recommendations (low grade [G1] to intermediate grade [G2], well to moderately differentiated neuroendocrine neoplasms; high-grade [G3], moderately to poorly differentiated neuroendocrine neoplasms). Results of tumor staging and grading were correlated. In a subgroup of cases, comparative analysis of Ki-67 levels in different sites of disease was carried out.

RESULTS

One hundred sixty-one GEP NEN patients were included in the study. Metastatic disease was seen in 46.1 % (53/115) of G1 tumors, 77.8 % (28/36) of G2 tumors, and 100 % of (10/10) G3 tumors (p = 0.0002). When stratified according to primary tumor site, metastatic disease was documented in 42.9 % (36/84) of patients with pancreatic NEN and in 91.9 % (34/37) of those with small intestinal primary. Stage IV metastatic disease was present in 27.8 % (32/115) and 72.2 % (26/36) of the G1 and G2 tumors, respectively, and in 90 % (9/10) of the G3 tumors. Assessment of the Ki-67 index for a subset of cases at metastatic sites as well as the primary tumor site showed discrepancies in 35.3 % cases. In 7/9 (77.8 %) patients with liver metastases, Ki-67 % was higher in the liver lesions than in the primary tumor.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with GEP NEN exhibiting a high Ki-67 proliferation index present with metastatic disease in the vast majority of cases. Depending upon the primary tumor site, metastases are to be expected also in tumors with low Ki-67 %, although they are considered less aggressive. Different disease sites may express heterogeneous Ki-67 levels.

Incidence of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours: a systematic review of the literature

Based on the current medical literature, the worldwide incidence of neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) seems to have increased; however, a systematic literature overview is lacking. This study aimed to collect all available data on the incidence of gastroenteropancreatic (GEP)-NETs and characteristics of population to establish their epidemiology. A sensitive MEDLINE search was carried out. The papers were selected via a cascade process that restricted the initial pool of 7991 articles to 33, using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Original articles evaluating the incidence of sporadic GEP-NETs in regional, institutional and national registries were considered. The majority of data originated from the US National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database and from national cancer registries in Western Europe. Generally, because of the retrospective nature of existing databases the outcomes of studies might be biased, which hinders the drawing of firm conclusions. The age-adjusted incidence of GEP-NETs has increased steadily over the past four decades (1973-2007), increasing 3.65-fold in the USA and 3.8- to 4.8-fold in the UK. Incidence has changed variably from one anatomical site to another. The greatest increase in incidence occurred for gastric and rectal NETs, while the smallest increase occurred for small intestine NETs. There were gender and racial differences, which differed site by site and, in some cases, changed over time. The incidence rates (IRs) of GEP-NETs have increased significantly in the last 40 years. Data are only available from North America, Western Europe and Japan. A site-by-site analysis revealed that the IRs of some NETs increased more than those of others.

Epidemiology of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours

Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours are a heterogeneous group of tumours arising from diffuse endocrine cells, causing unique clinical syndromes. These tumours, formerly named carcinoid, can involve any part of the gastrointestinal tract and the endocrine pancreas and have a wide range of malignant potential: from benign to poorly differentiated tumours. In this review we will summarize the data available on the epidemiology of gastroenteropancreatic tumours as it is reported from around the world. This includes annual incidence rates at the various anatomic sites, and trends in incidence rates with time. In addition age and stage at presentation, gender and racial differences and finally prognosis and survival were collected when reported.

Natural history of gastro-entero-pancreatic and thoracic neuroendocrine tumors. Data from a large prospective and retrospective Italian epidemiological study: the NET management study

BACKGROUND

The few epidemiological data available in literature on neuroendocrine tumors (NET) are mainly based on Registry databases, missing therefore details on their clinical and natural history.

AIM

To investigate epidemiology, clinical presentation, and natural history of NET.

DESIGN AND SETTING

A large national retrospective survey was conducted in 13 Italian referral centers. Among 1203 NET, 820 originating in the thorax (T-NET), in the gastro-enteropancreatic tract (GEP-NET) or metastatic NET of unknown primary origin (U-NET) were enrolled in the study.

RESULTS

93% had a sporadic and 7% a multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1)-associated tumor; 63% were GEP-NET, 33% T-NET, 4% U-NET. Pancreas and lung were the commonest primary sites. Poorly differentiated carcinomas were <10%, all sporadic. The incidence of NET had a linear increase from 1990 to 2007 in all the centers. The mean age at diagnosis was 60.0 ± 16.4 yr, significantly anticipated in MEN1 patients (47.7 ± 16.5 yr). Association with cigarette smoking and other non-NET cancer were more prevalent than in the general Italian population. The first symptoms of the disease were related to tumor burden in 46%, endocrine syndrome in 23%, while the diagnosis was fortuity in 29%. Insulin (37%) and serotonin (35%) were the most common hormonal hypersecretions. An advanced tumor stage was found in 42%, more frequently in the gut and thymus. No differences in the overall survival was observed between T-NET and GEP-NET and between sporadic and MEN1-associated tumors at 10 yr from diagnosis, while survival probability was dramatically reduced in U-NET.

CONCLUSIONS

The data obtained from this study furnish relevant information on epidemiology, natural history, and clinico-pathological features of NET, not available from the few published Register studies.

Pancreatic endocrine tumors: a report on a patient treated with sorafenib

A 31-yr-old man with abdominal pain was diagnosed with a pancreatic endocrine tumor and multiple hepatic metastases. Despite optimal treatment with interferon alpha, a somatostatin analog, local therapy with high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation for multiple hepatic metastases, and multiple lines of chemotherapy with etoposide/cisplatin combination chemotherapy and gemcitabine monotherapy, the tumor progressed. As few chemotherapeutic options were available for him, sorafenib (800 mg/day, daily) was administered as a salvage regimen. Sorafenib was continued despite two episodes of grade 3 skin toxicity; it delayed tumor progression compared to the previous immunotherapy and chemotherapy. Serial computed tomography scans showed that the primary and metastatic tumors were stable. Thirteen months after beginning targeted therapy, and up to the time of this report, the patient is well without disease progression. We suggest that sorafenib is effective against pancreatic endocrine tumors.

Diagnosis and treatment of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: current data on a prospectively collected, retrospectively analyzed clinical multicenter investigation

BACKGROUND

The aim of this prospectively collected, retrospectively analyzed clinical investigation was to describe "unmasked" clinical symptoms and methods of diagnosis, treatment, and short-term follow-up of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs) diagnosed during 1 year in Austria.

METHODS

In total, 277 patients with GEP-NETs were documented. All tumors were immunhistochemically defined according to recently summarized criteria (World Health Organization, European Neuroendocrine Tumour Society). A standardized questionnaire comprising 50 clinical and biochemical parameters (clinical symptoms, mode of diagnosis, treatment, follow-up) was completed by attending physicians.

RESULTS

The most common initial symptoms were episodes of abdominal pain, diarrhea, weight loss, gastrointestinal bleeding, flushing, and bowel obstruction. Overall, 48.1% of tumors were diagnosed by endoscopy, 43.7% were diagnosed during surgery, 5% were diagnosed by fine-needle aspiration of the primary or metastases, and 2.5% were diagnosed during autopsy; 44.5% of tumors were not suspected clinically and were diagnosed incidentally during various surgical procedures. Overall, 18.7% of tumors were removed endoscopically and 67.6% were removed surgically; 13.7% of patients were followed without interventional treatment. Endoscopic or surgical intervention was curative in 81.4% of patients and palliative in 18.6% of patients. At the time of diagnosis, information on metastasis was available in 83.7% of patients with malignant NETs. Lymph node or distant metastases were documented in 74.7% of patients. In 19.3% of patients, 41 secondary tumors were documented, with 78.0% classified histologically as adenocarcinomas.

CONCLUSION

This investigation summarizes the clinical presentation and current practice of management of GEP-NETs and thereby extends the understanding and clinical experience.