Gastrointestinal Neuroendocrine Tumour: Case Series

A Amin, Mr, Anil Reddy, Mr, Ahmed Hammad, Mr, M Jha, Mr, Prasad Kolanu, Dr. James Cook University Hospital

Introduction: Over 60% of all neuroendocrine tumours are found in the gastrointestinal tract. Gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumours are rare and constitute <2% of all gastrointestinal cancers. Most tumours are slow growing and asymptomatic, although metastatic lesion may be the presenting feature in some patients.

Material and methods: Data was collected retrospectively over a 10 year period from 2001 to 2010. All patients with proven histopathology of neuroendocrine tumour were included.

Results: There were 74 patients with histopathology positive of neuroendocrine tumour. 39 males and 35 females with the age range of 8 – 88 years. The commonest presenting symptoms were anaemia, diarrhoea, weight loss and abdominal pain. The duration of symptoms before the diagnosis was made ranged between 2 months and 5 years.

12 out of the 74 (16%) patients with neuroendocrine tumour presented with distant metastases. 44 patients were followed up for 5 years after the initial diagnosis. Local recurrence occurred in 1 patient and 6 patients developed distant metastases on follow up. 5 year survival was 22/44 (50%). None of the patients who presented with metastases in the first place survived for 5 years.

Conclusion: Neuroendocrine tumours can present at any age. Delay in diagnosis is usually because of the indolent nature of the disease. More than 50% of the patients presented with a coincidental finding of neuroendocrine tumour.
Though neuroendocrine tumour is considered to be a slow growing tumour, our study showed a 5 year survival rate of only 50% with 16% of patients presenting initially with metastases.
 

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