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New treatment options with cytotoxic agents in neuroendocrine tumours

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Abstract

There are numerous treatment options for patients with advanced digestive neuroendocrine tumours (NETs). Medical treatment includes systemic chemotherapies, targeted therapies, somatostatin analogs, liver-directed therapies such as (chemo)embolization or thermoablation, and peptide receptor radionuclide therapy. Cytotoxic chemotherapies can help control tumour progression in patients with non-resectable tumours and may improve symptoms by reducing tumour bulk. In addition, tumour response is usually greater than that obtained with targeted therapies. This should be taken into consideration in neoadjuvant strategies. Efficacy of temozolomide depends on the O6 methylguanine DNA methyl transferase status, and thus, this drug will likely have to be considered in the future in patients with a favourable enzyme profile. Because numerous treatment options are available for patients with advanced digestive NETs, and thanks to their long survival, successive drugs should be used. Careful attention should be paid to the adverse events in order to maintain the quality of life in these patients who have with a long life expectancy.

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The authors have no conflict of interest in relation with this manuscript to declare.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Service de Gastroenterologie-Pancreatologie, Hôpital Beaujon, AP-HP, Faculté Denis Diderot (Paris VII), 100 boulevard Leclerc, 92110, Clichy, France

    Pascal Hammel, Olivia Hentic, Cindy Neuzillet & Philippe Ruszniewski

  2. Oncology Unit, Hôpital Beaujon, AP-HP, Faculté Denis Diderot (Paris VII), 100 boulevard Leclerc, 92110, Clichy, France

    Sandrine Faivre & Eric Raymond

Authors
  1. Pascal Hammel
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  2. Olivia Hentic
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  3. Cindy Neuzillet
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  4. Sandrine Faivre
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  5. Eric Raymond
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  6. Philippe Ruszniewski
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Correspondence to Pascal Hammel.

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Hammel, P., Hentic, O., Neuzillet, C. et al. New treatment options with cytotoxic agents in neuroendocrine tumours. Targ Oncol 7, 169–172 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11523-012-0228-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11523-012-0228-7

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