Prognostic Impact of Tumor Size on Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor Recurrence May Have Racial Variance

Abstract

Objective: The incidence of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) has increased over the last decade. Black patients have worse survival outcomes. This study investigates whether oncologic outcomes are racially disparate at a single institution.

Methods: Retrospective analysis was performed on 151 patients with resected PNETs between 2010 and 2019.

Results: More White males and Black females presented with PNETs (P = 0.02). White patients were older (65 years vs 60 years; P = 0.03), more likely to be married (P < 0.01), and had higher median estimated yearly incomes ($28,973 vs $17,767; P < 0.01) than Black patients. Overall and disease-free survival were not different. Black patients had larger median tumor sizes (30 mm vs 23 mm; P = 0.02). Tumor size was predictive of recurrence only for White patients (hazard ratio, 1.02; P = 0.01). Collectively, tumors greater than 20 mm in size were more likely to have recurrence (P = 0.048), but this cutoff was not predictive in either racial cohort independently.

Conclusions: Black patients undergoing curative resection of PNETs at our institution presented with larger tumors, but that increased size is not predictive of disease-free survival in this population.