Cystic pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: A more favorable lesion?

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) are predominantly solid lesions with malignant potential. Cystic PNETs are a small subset in which data are scarce. The aim of this study was to compare clinical and biologic differences between cystic and solid PNETs. Patients with PNETs undergoing pancreatectomy between 1988 and 2016 at a high-volume center were reviewed retrospectively. Demographic, clinical, and histopathologic data were collected and analyzed. 347 patients with PNETs were identified; 27% (n = 91) were cystic. Patients with cystic PNETs were generally older (59 vs. 55 years, p = 0.05). Cystic PNETs were more commonly non-functional (95% vs. 82%, p = 0.004), asymptomatic (44% vs. 28%, p = 0.009), and located in the pancreatic body/tail (81% vs. 60%, p