Endocrine pancreatic tumors: factors correlated with survival

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the survival rate of patients with endocrine tumors of the pancreas, functioning or non-functioning, associated or not with MEN 1 syndrome. Patients and methods: Eighty-three patients with pancreatic endocrine tumors diagnosed in our department from 1978 to 2003 were studied. Results: The study included 37 men (44.6%) and 46 women (55.4%). The median age of patients at diagnosis was 55 years (range 19-81 years). Fifty-two patients (62.7%) had non-functioning endocrine tumors, 16 (19.3%) had functioning endocrine tumors and 15 (18.1%) had MEN 1 disease with pancreatic involvement. Twenty-seven patients (32.5%) had liver metastases at the time of diagnosis, involvement of the lymph nodes was found in 47 out of 79 patients (59.5%). Forty patients (48.2%) had radical surgery, 20 (24.1%) had palliative surgery and 53 were treated medically. The survival rate was significantly related to the presence of metastases, lymph node involvement, and the type of tumor and treatment. Conclusions: Tumor resection, the absence of liver and lymph node metastases, and the presence of MEN 1 syndrome are related to a better survival rate. Radical surgery continues to have a central role in the therapeutic approach to endocrine tumors of the pancreas.