A Rare Case of a Non- Functioning Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor in a Young Female

Abstract

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) are extremely rare and represent about 1-2% of all pancreatic tumors. Non-functional PNETs (NF-PNETs) represent approximately 85% of all PNETs. Most are found incidentally at an advanced stage because patients are asymptomatic, and the tumors do not secrete hormones that would manifest with symptoms. We report a case of 32-yr-old female who initially presented with increasing abdominal girth and lower extremity swelling up to the hip and she was incidentally found to have a widely metastatic intermediate grade NF-PNET stage IV T2N0M1 with metastasis to the liver, peritoneum, bones, and gallbladder. Computed tomography (CT) is the imaging modality of choice, but other diagnostic imaging tools need to be investigated for earlier detection of this insidious and fatal disease. Surgical treatment is preferred, but only palliative chemotherapy and radiation is currently available for advanced disease.