Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 23, 2026

Tracking Tumor Cell Dissemination from Lung Metastases Using Photoconversion
Published on: July 7, 2023
Cancer with unknown primary: finding a needle in a hay stack
F L Giesel1, A Mehndiratta, M P Mafomane
1Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. f.giesel@dkfz.de
Abstract:
Detection and resection of small neuroendocrine tumours (NET) is like finding a needle in a hay stack. Use of specific tracers such as (68)Ga-DOTATOC in a PET/CT study has been proven to have a high sensitivity and specificity to cells expressing somatostatin-SSR receptors. The use of (99m)Tc-Octreotide to detect neuroendocrine tumours during surgery is an effective adjunct for therapy. We here present a clinical case of patient with NET where these modalities help in both diagnostic and therapeutic surgery.
Related Concept Videos
Metastasis
Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition
The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition or EMT is a developmental process commonly observed in wound healing, embryogenesis, and cancer metastasis. EMT is induced by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) or receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) ligands, which further...
Metastasis
Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition
The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition or EMT is a developmental process commonly observed in wound healing, embryogenesis, and cancer metastasis. EMT is induced by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) or receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) ligands, which further...
Cancers Originate from Somatic Mutations in a Single Cell
Tumor Progression
Colon cancer is one of the best-documented examples of tumor progression. Early mutation in the APC gene in colon cells causes a small growth on the colon wall called a polyp. With time, this polyp grows into a benign, pre-cancerous tumor. Further...
Cancer
Cancer Stem Cells and Tumor Maintenance
Cancer stem cells are thought to originate from tissue-specific normal stem cells or progenitor cells. The normal stem cells usually reside in...
