Korean J Helicobacter Up Gastrointest Res.  2011 Sep;11(2):75-81. 10.7704/kjhugr.2011.11.2.75.

Neuroendocrine Tumor in Upper Gastrointestinal Tract

• Jeon HK
• Kim HS

• KMID: 2249540
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.7704/kjhugr.2011.11.2.75

Abstract

Gastric neuroendocrine tumor (GNET) is rare, but increasing in incidence. GNET may be classified into three types on the basis of the background pathology. Type I GNET is related to autoimmune atrophic gastritis and hypergastrinemia. Type II is related to multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN)-1, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome and hypergastrinemia and sporadic Type III is not related to any background pathology. Type I GNETs can be considered as benign tumors with unusual metastases. However, type II may be related to distant metastases, which is also common in type III GNETs. Type I and type II lesions can be treated by endoscopic excision or somatostatin analogues whereas surgical treatment should be considered for type III lesions. Hypergastrinemia is an essential precondition for the evolution of type I and II lesions, but hypergastrinemia alone is not enough for explanation of tumorigenesis. Furthermore, the pathogenesis of type III neuroendocrine tumors is still poorly understood. Despite improvements in our knowledge of GNET pathogenesis in diagnostic approach and treatment, further investigations and large scale clinical studies are warranted.

Keyword

Neuroendocrine tumors; Atrophic gastritis; Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1; Zollinger-Ellison syndrome

MeSH Terms

Cell Transformation, Neoplastic
Gastritis, Atrophic
Incidence
Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia
Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1
Neoplasm Metastasis
Neuroendocrine Tumors
Somatostatin
Upper Gastrointestinal Tract
Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome
Somatostatin