Factors That Plot the Mortality Patterns of Neuroendocrine Tumors (NETs)

Mortality patterns of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) vary depending on the primary tumor site. These patterns have now been revealed to inform treatment decisions as per a study “Risk of Cancer-Specific Death for Patients Diagnosed with Neuroendocrine Tumors: A Population –Based Analysis”, published in the JNCCN—Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. “Neuroendocrine tumors are very unique in that they are often slow growing indolent cancers. They have very heterogenous behaviors. While some metastatic tumors can threaten patients’ survival, other localized tumors do not. Therefore, it was important to understand cause of death and the exact burden of cancer on mortality in different sub-groups of patients with NETs,” says lead author Julie Hallet, MD, MSc, University of Toronto.

The retrospective study analyzed the health data of 8,607 patients (stored at ICES). This population-based cohort study is the first to describe factors associated with cancer-specific death after a NET diagnosis.

Mortality Patterns

It was found that patients with bronchopulmonary and pancreatic NETs had the highest risks of cancer-specific death. Moreover the risk of non-cancer death exceeded that of cancer-specific deaths among those having non-metastatic gastric, small intestine, colonic, and rectal NETs.

The other associated hazard ratios of cancer-specific mortality included advancing age, higher material deprivation, female gender, and metastases.

“Our results show that some patients with non-metastatic NETs are more likely to die of other causes than NET. This is crucial to inform patients and make decisions regarding treatment. It is important to make sure that treatment does not present a higher risk than the NET itself. For example, small pancreas, stomach or rectal NETs can be safely monitored,” says Hallet.

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Source-Medindia