Update on medical treatment of small intestinal neuroendocrine tumors

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Small intestinal (SI) neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are relatively rare tumors. Due to the lack of symptom or specific symptoms, SI-NETs are often diagnosed at an advanced stage, making therapy challenging. The management of patients with advanced stage SI-NETS requires a multidisciplinary approach that combines surgical and medical treatment including novel targeted molecular therapies.

Areas covered: This article summarizes current strategies for the medical treatment of SI-NETS.

Expert commentary: The treatment plan of advanced-stage SI-NETs should be tailored in a case-by-case manner with the adoption of a multidisciplinary approach that combines different treatment options, including biological targeted therapies. In particular, we believe that the identification of the optimal treatment sequence(s), correct treatment timing and the selection of patients eligible to different treatments need specific investigation in controlled clinical trials.

KEYWORDS:

• Intestinal neoplasms
• neuroendocrine tumors
• neoplasm staging
• somatostatin analogues
• interferon
• peptide receptor radionuclide therapy
• chemotherapy
• molecular targeted therapy
• prognosis

Declaration of interest

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. Editorial assistance for the preparation of this manuscript was provided by Luca Giacomelli, PhD and Lilia Biscaglia PhD; this assistance was supported by internal funds.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.