CLINICAL ExPERIENCE IN SuRGICAL tREAtmENt Of GAStROINtEStINAL NEuROENdOCRINE tumORS

Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP NET) represent heterogenous group of very rare neoplasms. Nevertheless, these tumors have been increasingly diagnosed recently. Authors present own experience with surgical treatment of gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors. the aim of the study was to analyse retrospectively own material of patients with gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors treated surgically in the Department of General and Transplant Surgery of Medical University in Łódź. material and methods. The analysis included all patients with neuroendocrine tumors surgically treated from January 2007 to June 2009 in the Department of General and Transplant Surgery of Medical University in Łódź. The clinical patients data were obtained from medical histories, operative protocols and outcomes of final histopathological examinations. Analyzed data were as follows: age, gender, type and localization of tumor, clinical signs, results of preoperative tests and type of surgical procedure. Results. Analysis revealed that 17 patients were operated on for gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors between years 2007-2009 in the Department of General and Transplant Surgery. Foregut tumors (5 gastric neuroendocrine tumors and 4 pancreatic insulinomas), midgut tumors (1 neuroendocrine cancer of ascending colon, 3 hepatic neuroendocrine cancers metastases, 2 primary hepatic neuroendocrine cancers, 1 gall bladder neuroendocrine cancer) and hindgut tumors (neuroendocrine cancer of rectum) were diagnosed in nine cases (53%), in seven cases (41%) and in one case (5%), respectively. Wide range of surgeries were performed in the Department, as follows: in 2 cases right hemihepatectomy, in 3 cases extended right hemihepatectomy, in 1 case left hemihepatectomy, in 4 cases pancreatic tumor enucleation, in 2 cases gastric resection, in 3 cases gastrectomy, in 1 case right hemicolectomy and in 1 case anterior resection of the rectum. The vast majority (11/17 patients; 64%) of tumors were poorly-differentiated neuroencorine carcinomas with high grade of histological malignancy. In one case coincidence of insulinoma and nesidioblastosis was confirmed. One patient suffered from signs of neuroglycopenia with loss of consciousness and convulsion preoperatively, incorrectly diagnosed as epilepsy. Conclusions. Treatment of patients with gastrointestinal tumors is complex process and most commonly require close cooperation of various proffesional clinicians. Since asymptomatic course of disease and late stage of tumor advancement at diagnosis, technically difficult operations are often essential. Thus, surgeon who perform operations of patients with neuroendocrine tumors should be well experienced in carring out extensive surgical procedures.