Gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Endocrinology
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors (GI-NETs) are a diverse malignancy.
• Increasing incidence and prevalence of GI-NETs globally.
• Many GI-NETs are diagnosed at metastatic stages, precluding curative surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current and emerging medical management strategies for GI-NETs.
• To highlight therapies for symptom control and tumor growth suppression.
• To discuss novel treatment options for advanced disease.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on GI-NET treatments.
• Discussion of pharmacological therapies including somatostatin analogues, everolimus, sunitinib, and pasireotide.
• Exploration of peptide receptor radiotherapy (PRRT) with 90Y-DOTATOC or 177Lu-DOTATE.

Main Results:

• Somatostatin analogues improve carcinoid syndrome symptoms and stabilize tumor growth.
• Everolimus and sunitinib demonstrate antiproliferative and antitumor effects, respectively.
• Pasireotide shows promise for refractory carcinoid syndrome, and PRRT offers new therapeutic avenues.

Conclusions:

• Medical management is crucial for unresectable GI-NETs.
• Several targeted therapies and PRRT represent significant advancements in managing GI-NETs.
• These treatments aim to improve patient outcomes by controlling symptoms and disease progression.