Clinical Course of Neuroendocrine Tumors With Different Origins (the Pancreas, Gastrointestinal Tract, and Lung)

Abstract

Neuroendocrine tumor originates from several sites. This study was conducted to reveal the differences in clinical course of neuroendocrine tumors by the origin. We reviewed data of patients diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumor between January 1996 and July 2007. A total of 371 patients were enrolled [pancreas 60, gastrointestinal (GI) tract 210, lung 35, other sites 46, unknown primary sites 20]. The primary tumor site correlated with the stage (P=0.000) and grade (P=0.000). At diagnosis, metastasis was observed in 28.3%, 6.7%, and 2.9% of the cases in pancreatic, GI, and pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors, respectively. Grade 3 neuroendocrine tumor was observed in 7.7%, 0.5%, and 0.0% in pancreatic, GI, and pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors. Overall survival was 116.0 months (95% confidence interval, 86.9-145.1). Overall survival was 116.0 months in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, not reached in GI neuroendocrine tumor and 120.0 months in pulmonary neuroendocrine tumor (P=0.024). The recurrence rate was 18.0%. It was 20.9%, 11.9%, and 2.9% in pancreatic, GI, and pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors (P=0.062). In multivariate analysis, stage, grade, and age were prognostic for overall survival (OS). Stage, grade, and sex were prognostic for disease-free survival. Neuroendocrine tumors from the pancreas, GI tract, and lung showed different clinical characteristics.