Experience in diagnosis and treatment of malignant pancreatic endocrine tumor / 中华消化外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of malignant pancreatic endocrine tumor. Methods The clinical data of 38 patients with malignant pancreatic endocrine tumor who had been admitted to First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 1969 to December 2008 were analyzed retrospectively. Of all patients, 6 were with insulinoma, 23 with pancreatic polypeptide tumor, 4 with glucagonoma and 5 with pancreatic carcinoid. Results All patients except 1 with insulinoma were found with pancreatic lesion by imaging examination. The resection rate was 87% (33/38). Pathological examination found 7 patients with liver metastasis, 5 with lymph node metastasis, 1 with tumor thrombus in vessels and lymphatic vessels, and 28 with local invasion. Twenty-four patients were followed up, and neither recurrence nor metastasis was found except 1 patient with insulinoma who received reoperation for local recurrence and 1 patient with pancreatic carcinoid who received radiofrequency ablation for liver metastasis. Conclusions The diagnosis of pancreatic endocrine tumor mainly depends on imaging examination. The malignancy of pancreatic endocrine tumor is determined after the comprehensive analysis of preoperative imaging findings, intraoperative examination, post-operative pathological examination and the data obtained during follow-up. The malignant pancreatic endocrine tumor should be managed actively by resection because of its relatively low malignancy, high operative resectability and relatively good prognosis.