Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor

Not to be confused with primitive neuroectodermal tumor, which is also abbreviated as PNET.

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor
SpecialtyOncology
TreatmentRadiation, chemotherapy
PrognosisFive-year survival rate ~ 61%

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (PanNETs, PETs, or PNETs), often referred to as "islet cell tumours",[1][2] or "pancreatic endocrine tumours"[3][4] are neuroendocrine neoplasms that arise from cells of the endocrine (hormonal) and nervous system within the pancreas.

PanNETs are a type of neuroendocrine tumor, representing about one-third of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs). Many PanNETs are benign, while some are malignant. Aggressive PanNET tumors have traditionally been termed "islet cell carcinoma".

PanNETs are quite distinct from the usual form of pancreatic cancer, the majority of which are adenocarcinomas, which arise in the exocrine pancreas. Only 1 or 2% of clinically significant pancreas neoplasms are PanNETs.[5]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Burns2012 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference PDQ was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Klimstra2010 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Oberg K (December 2010). "Pancreatic endocrine tumours". Seminars in Oncology. 37 (6): 594–618. doi:10.1053/j.seminoncol.2010.10.014. PMID 21167379.
  5. ^ Kelgiorgi, Dionysia; Dervenis, Christos (2017-05-10). "Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: the basics, the gray zone, and the target". F1000Research. 6: 663. doi:10.12688/f1000research.10188.1. ISSN 2046-1402. PMC 5428491. PMID 28529726.