Survival Analysis and Prognostic Factors for Neuroendocrine Tumors in Turkey

Background: This study aimed to determine the demographical distribution, survival and prognosticfactors for neuroendocrine tumors monitored in our clinic. Materials and
Methods: Data for 52 patients whowere admitted to Cumhuriyet University Medical Faculty Training Research and Practice Hospital OncologyCenter between 2006 and 2012 and were diagnosed and treated for neuroendocrine tumors were investigated.
Results: Of the total, 30 (58%) were females and 22 (42%) were males. The localization of the disease wasgastroenteropancreatic in 29 (56%) patients and other sites in 23 (44%). The most frequently involved organin the gastroenteropancreatic system was the stomach (n=10, 19%) and the most frequently involved organ inother regions was the lungs (n=10, 19%). No correlation was found between immunohistochemical stainingfor proteins such as chromogranin A, synaptophysin, and NSE and the grade of the tumor. The patients werefollowed-up at a median of 24 months (1-90 months). The three-year overall survival rate was 71%: 100% instage I, 88% in stage II, 80% in stage III, and 40% in stage IV. The three-year survival rate was 78% in tumorslocalized in the gastroenteropancreatic region, and 54% in tumors localized in other organs. In the univariateanalysis, gender, age, performance status of the patients, grade, localization, surgical treatment, and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (≤5 versus >5) affected the prognosis of the patients.
Conclusions: Most of the tumors werelocalized in the gastroenteropancreatic region, and the three-year survival rate in tumors localized in this regionwas better than the tumors localized in other sites. Surgical treatment was a positive independent prognosticfactor, whereas Grade 3 and a neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio of >5 were negative independent prognostic factors.