title: Gastro-entero-pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: Is now time for a new approach?
abstract: Gastro-entero-pancreatic tumors (GEP-NETs) are rare neoplasms often characterized by an overexpression of somatostatin receptors. Thus, radiolabeled somatostatin analogues have showed an increasing relevance both in diagnosis and treatment, especially in low- and intermediate-differentiated GEP-NETs. These evidences have led to a growing development of new functional imaging techniques as 68Ga-DOTATATE positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) proved useful in the management of these neoplasms. However these tumors have a heterogeneous behavior also modifying their aggressiveness through time. Therefore sometimes 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT appears to be more appropriate to obtain a better assessment of the disease. According to these considerations, the combination of different functional imaging techniques should be considered in the management of GEP-NETs patients allowing clinicians to choose the tailored therapeutic approach among available options.
authors.affiliation: Rossana Berardi, Mariangela Torniai, Agnese Savini, Silvia Rinaldi, Stefano Cascinu, Department of Medical Oncology, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60100 Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Rossana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Berardi
authors.affiliation: Rossana Berardi, Mariangela Torniai, Agnese Savini, Silvia Rinaldi, Stefano Cascinu, Department of Medical Oncology, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60100 Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Mariangela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Torniai
authors.affiliation: Rossana Berardi, Mariangela Torniai, Agnese Savini, Silvia Rinaldi, Stefano Cascinu, Department of Medical Oncology, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60100 Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Agnese
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Savini
authors.affiliation: Rossana Berardi, Mariangela Torniai, Agnese Savini, Silvia Rinaldi, Stefano Cascinu, Department of Medical Oncology, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60100 Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rinaldi
authors.affiliation: Rossana Berardi, Mariangela Torniai, Agnese Savini, Silvia Rinaldi, Stefano Cascinu, Department of Medical Oncology, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60100 Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cascinu
keywords: 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography; 68Ga-DOTATATE positron emission tomography/computed tomography; Diagnosis; Gastro-entero-pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor; Imaging