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Abstract
Survival from pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors has not improved over the past two decades and, until recently, streptozocin was the last therapeutic agent approved for this malignancy. Everolimus blocks mTOR, which plays an integral role in cell growth, mitosis and angiogenesis. Abnormal PI3K–Akt/PKB–mTOR pathway signaling has been implicated in the pathogenesis of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. In a Phase III study, patients with low- and intermediate-grade advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors were randomized to receive everolimus 10 mg/day or placebo. Median progression-free survival was significantly greater in patients treated with everolimus than placebo – 11 versus 4.6 months – and drug-related adverse events were consistent with the known side-effect profile of everolimus. Everolimus represents a significant treatment development for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.
Financial & competing interests disclosure
The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.