Episode 60: Advanced Neuroendocrine Tumours - Part 1

Neuroendocrine tumours (commonly referred to as NETs) is the topic for this week's episode of Oncology for the Inquisitive Mind. Michael and Josh thought it could be easily covered in a single episode, but they were wrong. This is not dissimilar to the recurrent cancellation of Futurama, a television series with nine lives saved by every network in existence.

Neuroendocrine tumours are a diverse, heterogeneous, rare group of cancers that can occur throughout the body. The most common location is the gastrointestinal tract, lung, and pancreas. Of course, these aren't the only locations with NETs forming in the thymus, prostate, breast and skin. To complicate things further, the classification of NETs has changed multiple times over the past two decades.

This first episode of our four-part "tour de force" will summarise well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumours and the pivotal studies of lanreotide and PRRT (peptide receptor radionucleotide therapy) with lutetium dotatate.

Links to studies discussed in this episode (subscription may be required):

1. Lanreotide - https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmoa1316158

2. PRRT - https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmoa1607427

3. NCCN guidelines: https://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/pdf/neuroendocrine.pdf