Prognostic Impact Of Tumor Size On Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor Recurrence May Have Racial Variance

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.