Neuroendocrine Tumors Diagnosed At The "Antonio Cardarelli" Hospital (Naples, Campania, Italy) Between 2006-2009: A Single-Institution Analysis

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are rare, with an incidence of about 5 per 100,000 inhabitants. As no study on NETs has ever been specifically conducted on the population of Campania, we performed a retrospective analysis of all newly diagnosed NETs at the "Antonio Cardarelli" hospital between 2006-2009. A search of the registry of the Pathology Department of the "Antonio Cardarelli" hospital was carried out to retrieve available data on all newly diagnosed NET cases. Two hundred and ninety-nine NET tumors were diagnosed at our Institution from January, 2006 to December, 2009. Globally, 121 patients (40% of the population) had a lung NET, while 92 patients (30% of the population) presented a GEP-NET. The most common primary tumor site varied by sex, with female patients being more likely to have a primary NET in the lung, breast or colon, and male patients being more likely to have a primary tumor in the lung. Also, twenty-three cases of breast NETs were identified, and clinical information regarding therapy and response was available for 22 patients. Our study represents a pioneering effort to provide the medical community in Campania with basic information on a large number of patients with different types of NETs. The "Antonio Cardarelli" hospital could greatly benefit from cooperation with other hospitals in order to become a highly specialized center for NETs in the region and Southern Italy.