title: Update on medical treatment of small intestinal neuroendocrine tumors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Small intestinal (SI) neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are relatively rare tumors. Due to the lack of symptom or specific symptoms, SI-NETs are often diagnosed at an advanced stage, making therapy challenging. The management of patients with advanced stage SI-NETS requires a multidisciplinary approach that combines surgical and medical treatment including novel targeted molecular therapies.
  
  
  METHODS
  This article summarizes current strategies for the medical treatment of SI-NETS. Expert commentary: The treatment plan of advanced-stage SI-NETs should be tailored in a case-by-case manner with the adoption of a multidisciplinary approach that combines different treatment options, including biological targeted therapies. In particular, we believe that the identification of the optimal treatment sequence(s), correct treatment timing and the selection of patients eligible to different treatments need specific investigation in controlled clinical trials.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Medical Oncology , Fondazione IRCCS 'Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori' , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pusceddu
authors.affiliation: a Department of Medical Oncology , Fondazione IRCCS 'Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori' , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Femia
authors.affiliation: a Department of Medical Oncology , Fondazione IRCCS 'Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori' , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lo Russo
authors.affiliation: b Department of Medical Oncology , Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, University of Verona , Verona , Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ortolani
authors.affiliation: c Department of Phatology , Fondazione IRCCS 'Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori' , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Milione
authors.affiliation: d Department of Nuclear Medicine , Fondazione IRCCS 'Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori' , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maccauro
authors.affiliation: a Department of Medical Oncology , Fondazione IRCCS 'Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori' , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vernieri
authors.affiliation: e Department of Experimental Medicine , 'Sapienza' University of Rome , Rome , Italy.
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Prinzi
authors.affiliation: a Department of Medical Oncology , Fondazione IRCCS 'Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori' , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Concas
authors.affiliation: a Department of Medical Oncology , Fondazione IRCCS 'Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori' , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Livia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Leuzzi
authors.affiliation: a Department of Medical Oncology , Fondazione IRCCS 'Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori' , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Braud
authors.affiliation: a Department of Medical Oncology , Fondazione IRCCS 'Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori' , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Buzzoni
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006801:Humans; D007414:Intestinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000473:pathology*; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D018579:Patient Selection
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
keywords: Intestinal neoplasms; chemotherapy; interferon; molecular targeted therapy; neoplasm staging; neuroendocrine tumors; peptide receptor radionuclide therapy; prognosis; somatostatin analogues