Comparison of Outcomes of Enucleation vs. Standard Surgical Resection for Pancreatic Neoplasms: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Pediatric and adolescent von Hippel-Lindau disease: tumor profiles, genotype-phenotype correlation and comparison with adults

PURPOSE

Data on pediatric/adolescent von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease is sparse, and surveillance/management recommendations rely on expert opinions/extrapolations from adults. We aimed to characterize the childhood/adolescent VHL disease phenotype, compare it with adults, and identify genotype-phenotype correlations.

METHODS

Retrospective review of children/adolescents (≤ 19 years) and adults with VHL disease from a single endocrine center (2000-2024). Only neoplasms diagnosed until age 19 years were included in the childhood/adolescent group and compared with the last follow-up of adults.

RESULTS

Twenty-six children/adolescents (median age:15.5 years) were identified. By age 19 years, 81% had pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma (PPGL, of which 10% head-neck), 42% central nervous system hemangioblastoma (CNS-HB), 31% each retinal hemangioblastoma (RHB) and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (PNET), and none endolymphatic sac tumor/renal cell carcinoma. At diagnosis, all PPGLs were symptomatic (median size 4.5 cm). CNS-HBs showed female preponderance, with high disease burden (60% symptomatic, 50% synchronous) and surgical requirement by 19 years of age. 2/8 pediatric patients needed surgery for symptomatic PNET before recommended surveillance initiation age (15 years). Two children/adolescents developed polycythemia during follow-up. Compared to adults (n = 39), pediatric/adolescent PPGL patients had significantly higher plasma free-normetanephrine/bilateral/extra-adrenal disease and 8.3-fold higher operative-site recurrence. Neoplasm frequency and other characteristics by 19 years resembled adults. Childhood/adolescent PPGLs occurred predominantly (16/17), and PNETs exclusively with missense variants. Codon 167 missense variants were associated with synchronous bilateral pheochromocytomas.

CONCLUSION

In the largest Asian study describing children/adolescents with VHL disease, we report severe pediatric/adolescent phenotype comparable to adults, need for childhood/adolescent HNPGL, and earlier PNET surveillance, particularly with missense variants.

Robotic-assisted pancreatic enucleation: Posterior uncinate approach

Functional pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNET) necessitate surgical resection. Enucleation is the preferred surgical method for well-differentiated pNETs that measure less than 2 cm in diameter, as it offers a greater likelihood of enhancing post-operative recovery and decreasing morbidity and mortality. Insulinomas are particularly suitable for enucleation when such a procedure is viable. However, enucleating tumors within the uncinate process of the pancreas, especially on its posterior aspect, can present substantial challenges. The accompanying video illustrates a robotic-assisted enucleation of an insulinoma in the uncinate process, performed on a 41-year-old male with recurrent hypoglycemia. This intervention led to the resolution of symptoms and incurred minimal post-operative morbidity.

Management Dilemma: Is Enucleation With Lymphadenectomy a Viable Choice for Large Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors (p-NETs)?

Managing pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs) has gradually taken a trend toward conservative management owing to its slow-growing and prolonged course. Though clear criteria exist regarding managing small tumors, the direction of a large tumor remains a dilemma. We present a case of a young 26-year-old lactating woman with a large 3.4 cm × 3.2 cm mass in the uncinate process, which is adjacent to the inferior vena cava (IVC) and has flimsy adhesions to the duodenum. She also had an enhancing adjacent lymph node measuring 1.2 cm × 0.7 cm, which showed enhancement with Ga-68 DOTANOC positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) and raised serum gastrin levels. The dilemma was between pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) or enucleation with lymphadenectomy (EL). Finally, EL was conducted. We discussed this case with relevant studies, which we had referred to because large-sized tumors are not usually enucleated.

[Enucleation of pancreatic tumors: a multiple-center study]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the immediate results of enucleation of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The results of enucleation of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs) were analyzed in 95 patients between 2016 and 2021. Functioning tumors (mean size 16.8 mm) were found in 70 patients, non-functioning (mean size 25 mm) - in 25 patients. Intraparenchymal tumors were found in 48 people, extraorganic lesion - in 47 patients.

RESULTS

There were 262 patients with pNETs who underwent various surgeries between 2016 and 2021. Various resections were performed in 167 (63.8%) cases, enucleations - in 95 (36.2%) patients. Traditional surgical approach was used in 65 patients. Pancreatic fistula occurred in 21 patients (type B - 17, type C - 4), while arrosive bleeding occurred in 6 patients with unfavorable outcomes in 2 cases. Minimally invasive surgeries were performed in 30 patients. Eight patients with intraparenchymal tumors required conversion to open surgery. Type B pancreatic fistula occurred in 5 patients that led to arrosive bleeding in 2 cases (hemostasis was provided by endovascular method). Comparison of intraparenchymal and extraorgan tumors regarding the incidence of pancreatic fistula revealed odds ratio 5.26 (95% CI 1.5355; 18.0323, p=0.0041). Postoperative mortality was 2.1%.

CONCLUSION

Enucleation is advisable for highly differentiated pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors up to 2 cm. Minimally invasive enucleation is indicated for extraorgan tumors. Intraparenchymal tumors significantly increase the risk of postoperative complications.

Clinical Course, Genetic, and Immunohistochemical Characterization of Solid Pseudopapillary Tumor of the Pancreas (Frantz Tumors) in a Brazilian Cohort

Frantz tumors or solid pseudopapillary pancreatic neoplasm (SPN) are rare exocrine neoplasms that carry a favorable prognosis; they represent up to 3% of all tumors located in the region of the pancreas and have specific age and gender predispositions. In recent years, the rising curve of diagnosis is entitled to the evolution and access of diagnostic imaging. In this paper, we have retrospectively reviewed and described the clinical course of 40 patients with SPN from three institutions in Brazil, who had their diagnosis between 2005 and 2020, and analyzed the clinicopathological, genetic, and surgical aspects of these individuals. In accordance with the literature, most patients were women, 60% with unspecified symptoms at diagnosis, with tumors mainly located in the body and tail of the pancreas, of whom 70% underwent a distal pancreatectomy with sparing splenectomy as a standard procedure, and none of the cases have experienced recurrence to date. Surgery still remains the mainstay of treatment given the low metastatic potential, but more conservative approaches as observed in this cohort are evolving to become the standard of care. Herein, we present an in-depth analysis of cases focusing on the latest literature and report some of the smallest tumor cases in the literature. To our knowledge, this is the first report evaluating germline genetic testing and presenting a case of detected Li-Fraumeni syndrome.