A tale of two tumors: treating pancreatic and extrapancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.
Annu Rev Med
; 66: 1-16, 2015.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-25341008
Despite their perceived rarity, gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs) are rising in incidence and prevalence. The biology, natural history, and therapeutic options for GEP-NETs are heterogeneous: NETs arising in the pancreas can be distinguished from those arising elsewhere in the gastrointestinal tract, and therapy is dichotomized between these two groups. Somatostatin analogues are the mainstay of oncologic management of bowel NETs; everolimus, streptozocin, and sunitinib are approved to treat pancreatic NETs. There are significant differences in molecular genetics between pancreatic and extrapancreatic NETs, and studies are evaluating whether additional NET patients may benefit from targeted agents. We discuss the distinguishing features of these two groups of tumors, as well as the therapeutic implications of the distinction. We also examine the evolving therapeutic landscape and discuss the likelihood that treatment will be developed independently for pancreatic and extrapancreatic gastrointestinal NETs, with novel therapeutics effective for newly identified pathologically or molecularly defined subgroups.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Health context:
3_ND
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Pancreatic Neoplasms
/
Biomarkers, Tumor
/
Neuroendocrine Tumors
/
Gastrointestinal Neoplasms
Type of study:
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
Annu Rev Med
Year:
2015
Document type:
Article