title: The potential for induction peptide receptor chemoradionuclide therapy to render inoperable pancreatic and duodenal neuroendocrine tumours resectable.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the clinical utility of peptide receptor chemoradionuclide therapy (PRCRT) using (177)Lu-octreotate (LuTate) with concurrent 5FU chemotherapy in patients with inoperable primary pancreatic and duodenal neuroendocrine tumours (NETs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Between December 2006 and October 2009, five patients with progressive inoperable pancreatic and duodenal NETs without distant metastatic disease or with a potentially resectable solitary distant metastasis were treated with PRCRT; in combination with external beam radiotherapy in one case. Patients were followed up three months post-treatment with somatostatin receptor scintigraphy, radiology, biochemical markers and clinical assessment. Radiological response classification was defined by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours (RECIST) with the addition of a minor response (MR; 10-30% size reduction) classification. Long-term follow up was performed until July 2011.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At three months post-treatment, all five patients had a scintigraphic response, four had a radiological response and three of the four symptomatic patients responded clinically. All five patients had an ongoing treatment response beyond three months including one where further tumour shrinkage facilitated curative surgery. All five patients are alive with 12-42 months of follow-up post-treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PRCRT can be effective in inoperable pancreatic and duodenal neuroendocrine tumours and may play a role as neoadjuvant therapy in this patient group.
authors: Centre for Cancer Imaging, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria 3002, Australia. tomwbarber@gmail.com
authors: T W
authors: TW
authors: Barber
authors: M S
authors: MS
authors: Hofman
authors: B N J
authors: BN
authors: Thomson
authors: R J
authors: RJ
authors: Hicks
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004379:Duodenal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008187:Lutetium / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D064847:Multimodal Imaging; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018000:Receptors, Peptide / Q000187:drug effects; D012074:Remission Induction; D012107:Research Design; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D011868:Radioisotopes; D018000:Receptors, Peptide; D008187:Lutetium; D005472:Fluorouracil