Resumen de Is long-term follow-up solely by imaging tests safe in non-operated pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors?

Daniela Polette, Juli Busquets i Barenys, Lluis Secanella Medayo, Maria Sorribas, Núria Peláez Serra, Catalina Uribe Galeano, Laura Martínez, Sílvia Salord, Fernando Guerrero Pérez, José Luis Vercher Conejero, Alexandre Teulé Vega, Joan Fabregat Prous

• Introduction: the diagnosis of asymptomatic sporadic non- functioning pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NF-PNETs) has increased significantly due to the widespread use of high-resolution imaging tests, which is why the most ap- propriate management at the time of diagnosis is the sub- ject of debate, as is how to follow-up patients.

  Aims: the objective of this study was to analyze the fre- quency of imaging and endoscopic studies performed during long-term follow-up.

  Methods: a retrospective review was performed of a data- base collected between January 2008 and December 2020 of patients with an incidental diagnosis of small NF-PNETs;

  follow-up was closed in March 2023. The imaging tests per- formed at the time of diagnosis and long-term follow-up were recorded. Growing less than 1 mm per year has not been considered as a worrisome feature. Follow-up was performed through imaging tests, considering endoscopic cytology for lesions with a faster grow rate.

  Results: fifty-eight patients were included; the median age was 69 years. The initial mean size of the lesions studied was 12.79 mm (5-27). Follow-up was carried out only with computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imag- ing (MRI). The initial size did not influence the behavior of the lesion in a statistically significant manner. Twenty-eight tumors (45 %) increased in size, with a growth equal to or less than 4 mm in 24 cases. The mean follow-up time was 82.41 months (12-164). No patient developed metastasis or died from PNET progression.

  Conclusions: the follow-up of neuroendocrine tumors of small size can be performed safely with only imaging tests.