title: [Neuroendocrine tumors: the age of targeted therapies].
abstract: Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs) are the second most prevalent group of advanced gastrointestinal tract tumors. Resources invested in research on this patient population have exponentially increased in recent years, and this has become one of the most attractive fields for oncological research. Several proangiogenic proteins have been found to be overexpressed in GEP-NETs, including vascular endothelial growth factor and its receptors and the more closely related intracellular signaling pathways such as the epidermal growth factor pathway, type I insulin-like growth factor receptor, and the PI3K-(PTEN)-AKT-mTOR pathway. The recent results of the three most important Phase III studies in GEP-NETs have allowed for approval of two targeted agents, sunitinib and everolimus, for the treatment of patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors after decades of minimal advances in this population.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Oncología Médica, Hospital Universitario Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, España. jacapdevila@vhebron.net
authors.forename: Jaume
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Capdevila
authors.forename: Guillem
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Argilés
authors.forename: Nuria
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mulet-Margalef
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tabernero
mesh_terms: D000068338:Everolimus; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D020123:Sirolimus / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D000068338:Everolimus; D020123:Sirolimus