Trends in the Incidence, Prevalence, and Survival Outcomes in Patients With Neuroendocrine Tumors in the United States

Abstract

Given the rarity and indolent clinical course of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), the epidemiology of these tumors is best studied in large, population-based registries with considerable longitudinal follow-up.^1-3 The National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program is a comprehensive source of population-based information initiated in 1973 that is updated annually.^4,5 Previously, the most comprehensive population-based study of NETs in the United States had been performed by our group using the November 2006 submission of SEER data with cases diagnosed up to 2004 that showed increasing incidence.¹ Since then, the SEER Program has expanded and the current (SEER 18) registry grouping now includes approximately 30% of the US population. Diagnostic techniques for NETs, such as computed tomography and endoscopy, have improved and have likely increased NET diagnosis rates and accuracy of staging.^6-8 In addition, updated staging and grading classifications for NETs have been proposed and more universally adopted, possibly further increasing the recognition of NETs and improving their pathologic classification.^9-11 Based on these observations, we hypothesized that the increased incidence of NETs is associated mainly with the rise in detection of early-stage disease.