Patient-reported outcomes in subjects with neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas

AIM: To assess the patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (PNET) patients. METHODS: Fifty-one consecutive patients (21 male, 30 female, 61.0 ± 10.3 years) with proven PNETs were studied. An SF-12 questionnaire capable of exploring the physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) aspects of daily life was used. Four questionnaires were also used [12 items General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) for non-psychotic psychiatric disorders, State Trait AnxietyInventory (STAI) Y-1 and Y-2 for anxiety and BDI-for depressive symptoms] to explore the psychological aspects of the disease. Forty-four sex-and age-matched Italian normative subjects were included and evaluated using the SF-12, STAI Y-1 and Y-2 questionnaires.RESULTS: Seven patients refused to participate to the study; they were clinically similar to the 44 participants who agreed to complete the questionnaires. PNET patients had a PCS score (44.7 ± 11.0) were not signifi cantly different from the norms (46.1 ± 9.9, P = 0.610), whereas the MCS score was signifi cantly lower in patients (42.4 ± 13.0) as compared to the norms (48.2 ± 9.8, P = 0.036). GHQ-12 identified 11 patients (25.0%) as having non-psychotic psychiatric disorders.The STAI scores were similar in the patients and inthe normative population. Finally, BDI-identifiedeight patients (18.2%) with moderate depression and 9 (20.5%) with mild depression whereas 27 patients (61.4%) had no depression.CONCLUSION: The PNET patients had a good physical but an impaired mental component of their quality of life; in addition, mild or moderate depressive symptoms are present in about 40% of PNET patients.