Clinicopathological characteristics of gastric neuroendocrine neoplasms: A comprehensive analysis

Cancer Med. 2024 Feb;13(4):e7011. doi: 10.1002/cam4.7011.

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to explore the clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic implications of gastric neuroendocrine neoplasms (g-NENs).

Methods: A retrospective enrollment of 142 patients diagnosed with g-NENs was conducted at Zhejiang Cancer Hospital between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2021. The study compared essential clinicopathological features and survival rates. Additionally, the prognosis of gastric neuroendocrine carcinomas/mixed neuroendocrine-non-neuroendocrine neoplasms (g-NEC/MiNEN) were contrasted with those of gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC) and signet ring cell carcinoma (SRCC).

Results: The study comprised a total of 142 g-NENs cases, with a male-to-female ratio of approximately 2:1. The 5-year survival rates for g-NEC and g-MiNEN were 26.7% and 35.2%, respectively. Corresponding 5-year survival rates for G1 and G2 were observed at 100% and 80.0%, respectively. g-NEC/MiNEN showed a significantly worse prognosis compared to g-NET (p < 0.001). g-NEC/MiNEN exhibited a poor prognosis compared to GAC (p < 0.001), and within poorly differentiated GAC, g-NEC/MiNEN demonstrated a worse prognosis (p = 0.007). Additionally, patients receiving postoperative adjuvant therapy exhibited notably prolonged overall survival (OS) in the case of g-NEC/MiNEN (p = 0.010).

Conclusion: In short, the prognosis of g-NEC/MiNEN was worse than that of g-NET, GAC and poorly differentiated GAC, but this group benefit from postoperative adjuvant therapy.

Keywords: gastric mixed neuroendocrine-non-neuroendocrine neoplasms; gastric neuroendocrine carcinomas; gastric neuroendocrine neoplasms; gastric neuroendocrine tumors; pathological feature; prognosis.

MeSH terms

  • Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine* / therapy
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Neuroendocrine Tumors* / pathology
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Prognosis
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Stomach Neoplasms* / pathology