Treatment Options for Patients with Neuroendocrine Tumors

Video content above is prompted by the following:

First-Line Treatment Options for Neuroendocrine Tumors

Key Themes:

• Treatment Decision Factors:
  • Treatment approach driven by tumor grade, disease extent, and presence of symptoms
  • Observation may be appropriate for asymptomatic, low-grade, low tumor burden cases
  • Localized disease may require surgery based on symptoms (bleeding, obstruction)
• Systemic Therapy Options:
  • Monthly somatostatin analogue injections (long-acting octreotide or lanreotide) as typical first-line therapy for tumors positive on somatostatin-receptor PET imaging
  • Chemotherapy with capecitabine/temozolomide for symptomatic pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors
  • Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy with lutetium-177 dotatate (Lutathera) for tumors with Ki-67 ≥10%
• Emerging Treatments:
  • Cabozantinib is newly approved for neuroendocrine tumors, particularly beneficial for pancreatic, lung, and small bowel NETs

Notable Insights:

Dr Halfdanarson highlighted that small, well-differentiated pancreatic NETs (<2 cm) are increasingly being observed rather than immediately surgically resected, representing a shift in management approach.