Neuroendocrine tumours: 6-year experience in a tertiary care centre

Neuroendocrine tumours are rare, but their incidence is gradually increasing. In this study, the demographic and tumour characteristics, treatment modalities and response rates, and survival rates were assessed in patients with neuroendocrine tumours. Forty-two patients with neuroendocrine tumours from a tertiary care centre were retrospectively assessed. Overall survival and progression-free survival rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. No differences were found in terms of gender. The median age was 62 years. The most common primary site was the stomach (26%), followed by lung (21%). Carcinoid syndrome was found in 14% of patients. Forty-three percent had localised disease at diagnosis, and surgical resection rate was 59.5%. In 100% of the patients, immunohistochemistry for chromogranin was performed, and 50% of the patients had pathological grade 2 disease. Treatment with somatostatin analogues was offered to 62%, while chemotherapy was given to 14%, with a regimen based on cisplatin/etoposide. Median overall survival in gastric primary tumours was 30 months, whereas for lung primary tumours it was 23.5 months. (C) 2015 Sociedad Mexicana de Oncologia. Published by Masson Doyma Mexico S.A.