Aim: To review the single surgeon experience of histologically proven GEP-NET with a view to analyse the data to answer the question -how often a pre-operative diagnosis is possible?
Materials/Methods: Reviewed the cases diagnosed as Neuroendocrine tumors from the logbooks, power point presentations and personal memory of last 12 years.There were 10 cases and analysed with regards to presenting symptoms, investigations, pre-op diagnosis established or not, surgery done or not and final histological diagnosis.
Results: Two cases of insulinoma diagnosed pre-op but only one was localised pre-op and confirmed even after exploratory surgery. Carcinoid tumors were diagnosed twice , one was localised pre-op. Three cases of primary liver carcinoid all of which are diagnosed post resection. One with multiple liver mets with no localisation of primary. One periampullary tumor diagnosed as Neuroendocrine carcinoma post pancreaticoduodenectomy though suspected pre-op. One pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma in a very young female who presented as Hemosuccus Entericus.
Conclusions: Only two out of ten (20%)neuroendocrine tumors were diagnosed pre-op. Delay in diagnosis remains the characteristic feature of NET due to vague initial symptomology. Despite the advances in imaging in general, there is paucity of investigation in neuroendocrine tumor disease. There is lack of molecular prognostic factors to identify high risk patients.