Neuroendocrine tumors: a critical appraisal of management strategies.
OBJECTIVE
This supplement represents the proceedings of a panel of investigators whose goal was to assess the quality of evidence pertaining to current therapeutic approaches in the management of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). It will examine the differences in opinions between expert faculty and community physicians.


METHODS
The Neuroendocrine Tumors Summit convened in December 2009 to address 6 statements prepared by panel members that reflect important questions in the management of NETs.


RESULTS
Panel members were polled on their acceptance of each statement, and those results were compared with community-based oncologists, gastroenterologists, and endocrinologists.


CONCLUSIONS
More education regarding the treatment of NETs, including pertinent studies, is needed for physicians. Additional multicenter, prospective, placebo-controlled trials are necessary to demonstrate the benefits of somatostatin analogs, including their ability to control symptoms and affect tumor growth, and their synergistic effect with other therapies. New trials should be reported consistently and include time to tumor progression and progression-free survival as primary or secondary end points.
Vinik
Aaron I
AI
Research and Neuroendocrine Unit, Eastern Virginia Medical School Strelitz Diabetes Center for Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders, Norfolk, VA 23510, USA. VinikAI@evms.edu
Anthony
Lowell
L
Boudreaux
J Philip
JP
Go
Vay Liang W
VL
O'Dorisio
Thomas M
TM
Ruszniewski
Philippe
P
Woltering
Eugene A
EA
D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015282:Octreotide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D013004:Somatostatin; D015282:Octreotide