Clinical related factors to neuroendocrine tumors in Ecuadorian patients: a logistic biplot approach

Abstract

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are relative rare, affecting neuroendocrine cells throughout the body. Most tumors are diagnosed at advanced stages. NETs prevalence has increased in the last years but there is little data available in developing countries. The aim of this study was to describe symptoms associated with NETs in patients of the Society for the Fight Against Cancer (SOLCA) in Ecuador from 2005 to 2020; using logistic biplots, in a hospital database, generating binary responses (presence/absence) relevant to this study. The results showed that the mean age was 59 and the study showed no difference in prevalence between genders. NETs were mainly found in lungs (19%), followed by stomach (18%) and skin (9%). Most patients had pathological diagnosis G2 and G3 (30% and 70%, respectively). Symptoms as cough, dyspnea, weight loss, diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, dyspepsia, hypertensive crisis, distended abdomen and intestinal obstruction had p values <0.05. Additionally, the statistical analysis showed that cough and intestinal obstruction were also common, bearing in mind that patients had most frequent NETs in the lungs and skin. In summary, our results indicate that symptoms of NETs patients were positively associated with lung and skin. Further investigation is needed focusing on the type of NETs and their symptoms in order to establish an early marker for diagnosis.