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1 Department of Endocrinology, St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London EC1A 7BE, UK
2 Department of Pathophysiology, University of Athens, Athens, Greece
3 Department of Endocrinology, G Gennimatas General Hospital, Athens, Greece
(Requests for offprints should be addressed to A B Grossman; Email: a.b.grossman{at}qmul.ac.uk)
Neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) constitute a heterogeneous group of tumours that frequently express cell membrane-specific peptide receptors, such as somatostatin receptors (SSTRs), and of which gastroenteropancreatic (GEP), carcinoid and pancreatic islet cell tumours exhibit the highest expression of SSTRs. Radiolabelled receptor-binding somatostatin analogues (octreotide and lanreotide) act as vehicles to guide radioactivity to tissues expressing SSTRs, and can thus be used for their diagnosis and treatment. After the localization of NETs bearing SSTRs with 111In-octreotide (OctreoScan), a number of radioisotopes with different physical properties have been used for their treatment. The administration of high doses of the Auger electron and
-emitter 111In-diethylenetriaminepenta-acetic acid (DTPA)0,octreotide in patients with metastatic tumours has been associated with considerable symptomatic improvement but relatively few and short-lived objective tumour responses. The use of another radiolabelled somatostatin analogue coupled with 90Y, a pure ß-emitter, 90Y-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-N,N',N'',N'''-tetraacetic acid (DOTA)0,Tyr3,octreotide (90Y-DOTATOC, OctreoTher), was associated with 10–30% objective tumour response rates, and appears to be particularly effective in larger tumours. 111In- and 90Y-DOTA-lanreotide has also been used for the treatment of NETs although its therapeutic efficacy is probably inferior to that of octreotide-based radiopharmaceuticals. More recently, treatment with 177Lu-DOTA0,Tyr3octreotate (177Lu-DOTATATE), which has a higher affinity for the SSTR subtype 2, resulted in approximately 30% complete or partial tumour responses; this radiopharmaceutical is particularly effective in smaller tumours. Furthermore, treatment using both 90Y-DOTATOC and 177Lu-DOTA0,Tyr3octreotate seems promising, as the combination of these radiopharmaceuticals could be effective in tumours bearing both small and large lesions. Tumour regression is positively correlated with a high level of uptake on 111In-octreotide scintigraphy, limited tumour mass and good performance status. In general, better responses have been obtained in GEP tumours than other NETs. The side effects of this form of therapy are relatively few and mild, particularly when kidney-protective agents are used. Treatment with radiolabelled somatostatin analogues presents a promising tool for the management of patients with inoperable or disseminated NETs, and particularly GEP tumours.
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