Investigational drugs for neuroendocrine tumours.
BACKGROUND
Neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) are usually slow-growing neoplasms, which arise in the gastrointestinal tract, endocrine pancreas, lungs or thymus. The majority are malignant. The treatment of patients with metastatic disease consists of biotherapy with alpha-interferon and somatostatin analogues, various chemotherapy combinations or liver embolization.


OBJECTIVE
To review and discuss new treatments for patients with metastatic NETs.


METHODS
Review of the published literature during the last 5 years on treatment of patients with NETs.


CONCLUSIONS
Several new drugs with various mechanisms of action including cytotoxic drugs, tyrosine kinase receptor inhibitors and antiangiogenic drugs as well as radiolabelled substances have been introduced during recent years. Many of these compounds have shown promising results in patients with NETs.
Granberg
Dan
D
University Hospital, Institution of Medical Sciences, Department of Endocrine Oncology, Uppsala SE-75185, Sweden. dan.granberg@medsci.uu.se
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015507:Drugs, Investigational / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D015507:Drugs, Investigational; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors