Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor Associated with Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAC) is a high mortality cancer. Age, nicotine exposure, obesity, old-onset type 2 diabetes and chronic pancreatitis are identified risk factors for PAC. The Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome, Atypical Familial Syndrome of Multiple Moles and Melanomas (AFSMMM), Hereditary Ovarian and Breast Cancer, HNPCC and Familial Adenomatous Polyposis are the major genetic syndromes at high risk for pancreatic cancer. Neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) are defined by the expression of structural proteins and hormonal products common to neurons and endocrine cells. There is no identified risk factor for pancreatic NETs other than genetic predisposition syndromes (multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 [MEN1], von Hippel-Lindau syndrome, tuberous sclerosis [TBS]). In this article we present a case of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor associated with pancreatic adenocarcinoma and we discuss in light of the data in the literature, the risk factors that expose to both types of pancreatic tumors).