[Gastric neuroendocrine tumors: clinical, endoscopic presentation and alternatives of treatment].

BACKGROUND

Gastric neuroendocrine tumors correspond to less than 1% of all gastric tumors. These tumors can be of three types. Seventy five percent are type I and are associated to chronic atrophic gastritis type A (CAG-A). Half of them are associated with pernicious anemia. Type II tumors are associated with Zollinger Ellison syndrome and type I multiple endocrine neoplasia. Type III are sporadic tumors.

AIM

To report the clinical, endoscopical features and response to the treatment of gastric neuroendocrine tumors.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A retrospective study of eleven patients (seven male, aged 38 to 72 years old) with a pathological diagnosis of gastric neuroendocrine tumor. Their clinical presentation, associated diseases, treatment and follow up were reviewed.

RESULTS

Epigastric pain was present in eight patients, weight loss in three, epigastric pain and weight loss in one and post prandial abdominal pain in two. At endoscopy, multiple polyps in the fundus were observed in six, verrucose gastritis in one, polyps in the antrum in one, two subcardial polyps in 1, a fundus ulcer in one and a Bormann III type lesion in one. Chronic atrophic gastritis was diagnosed in seven patients and pernicious anemia in five. Serum gastrin levels were determined in 4 patients and were high in all. Four subjects were treated with endoscopic polipectomy only. A partial or total gastrectomy was done in seven patients. No complications or mortality occurred during the follow up.

CONCLUSIONS

Abdominal pain is a common presentation of patients with gastric neuroendocrine neoplasia. Polyps predominantly in the fundus are the most common endoscopic finding. Surgical treatment or endoscopical polypectomy, depending of the extension of the disease, yield satisfactory results.