Recurrent gastric neuroendocrine tumors treated with total gastrectomy.

Gastric neuroendocrine tumors are rare; however, the incidence has recently increased due to the increasing use of upper endoscopy. Neuroendocrine tumors arise from the excess proliferation of enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cells. The proliferative changes of enterochromaffin cells evolve through a hyperplasia-dysplasia-neoplasia sequence that is believed to underlie the pathogenesis of gastric neuroendocrine tumors. Endoscopic resection is recommended as the initial treatment if the tumor is not in an advanced stage. However, there is no definite guideline for the treatment of recurrent gastric neuroendocrine tumors following endoscopic resection. Here, we report a rare case of gastric neuroendocrine tumors in a 56-year-old male who experienced two recurrences within 11 years after endoscopic resection. The patient finally underwent a total gastrectomy. The pathological features of the resected stomach exhibited the full hyperplasia-dysplasia-neoplasia sequence of the ECL cells in a single specimen.