Non-Functioning Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumours - A Case Study

Case Study

Abstract

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours represent a heterogeneous collection of neoplasms which are relatively rare, but of rising incidence. They are further classified as functioning or non-functioning, according to their secretory behaviour and symptomology. The more common of the two, non-functioning tumours often remain asymptomatic for a long duration, so many patients present late with metastasis. This case report presents a 25 year old woman with a large 5x4cm non-functioning pancreatic neuroendocrine tumour (NF-pNET), for which she underwent a pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy. Unusually young to have such a neoplasm, she also has some atypical clinical features suggestive of an underlying genetic syndrome such as multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1. This case study goes on to discuss the optimal diagnosis and surgical management of NF-pNETs, addressing some questions raised by this unusual case.