Endocrine Abstracts

Purpose: Bronchopulmonary (BP) and gastroenteropancreatic (GEP) neuroendocrine neoplasms (NEN) are slow-growing tumors, which frequently express somatostatin receptors on their cell membranes. These receptors are targets for therapy with 177Lutetium-labeled somatostatin analogues.Experimental Design: Patients receive four treatments of 177Lu-DOTATATE at a dose of 7.4 GBq every 8 weeksResults: An objective resp...

According to the WHO classification system the majority of endocrine tumours of the gastrointestinal tract (GI-NETs) are considered as being well differentiated benign or malignant tumours. Almost all GI-NETs are derived from enterochromaffin or Kulchitsky cells that can synthesize, store and secrete serotonin. The majority of these tumours are non-functioning and their presentation is non-specific. Functioning tumours, may exhibit protean clinical presentation, depending on t...

Objective: To evaluate the results of the early postoperative low-dose (1 μg) ACTH (adrenocorticotropin) stimulation test in patients with Cushing’s disease (CD) in order to predict long-term outcome of transsphenoidal surgery.Methods: We reviewed the serum cortisol response to 1 μg synthetic ACTH (1–24) in the second week after pituitary surgery in 40 patients with Cushing’s disease. Median follow-up was 48.5 months (range 6&#15...

Background: Temozolomide (TMZ) has been suggested as a treatment option for patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (PNETs). The tumour response to TMZ has been linked to expression levels of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) and components of the mismatch repair (MMR) system. However, there is no in vitro data on TMZ sensitivity and the expression of MGMT and MMR components in PNETs. Moreover, the effect of TMZ exposure on chemosensitivity and exp...

Background: Somatostatin receptor ligands (SRLs) are first-line standard-of-care therapies for gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (GEP-NETs), showing efficacy in tumour and symptom control with an established safety profile. However, disease progression may occur despite standard-dose SRL treatment, requiring more aggressive and toxic treatments. Retrospective/non-randomized data suggest higher-dose SRLs may benefit patients with GEP-NETs who do not respond to stand...

Adrenocortical cancer (ACC) is a rare cancer with poor prognosis and scant treatment options. Mitotane alone, or in combination with cytotoxic chemotherapy, represents the referral current treatment for patients with unresectable ACC. Recent studies have shown that mTOR inhibitors suppress growth of ACC cells. This study aimed at evaluating the effects of mitotane in combination with mTOR inhibitors. In H295 and SW13 cells we tested the effects of a 6 day treatment with increa...

Introduction: Pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasm (pNEN) patients often present with locally advanced or metastatic disease. The objective response rate of peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) in pNENs is 55%. Therefore, PRRT may be a possibility for patients who are not eligible for upfront curative surgery.Aims: To assess the potency of PRRT to render locally advanced or oligometastatic pNENs resectable and to evaluate the effect of surgery afte...

Background: Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is an uncommon malignancy with a still scantily understood pathogenesis and generally poor prognosis. Surgery, performed at early stages, offers the best chance for cure, but unfortunately, it is often noncurative. Medical treatment produced disappointing responses. mTOR inhibitors, such as sirolimus (S) and temsirolimus (T), are promising antineoplastic drugs in several types of carcinomas.Methods: To evaluate ...

Dopamine receptors (DR) are expressed in the majority of corticotroph pituitary tumors and the dopamine agonist cabergoline is effective in controlling cortisol hypersecretion in around 50% of patients with Cushing’s disease (CD). In order to characterize the tumors expressing D2 receptors and the profile of patients which might respond to the treatment with D2 agonists, the current study has the aim to correlate D2 receptor expression and...

Background: A metastatic mesenteric mass is a hallmark of small intestinal neuroendocrine tumours (SI-NETs). However, little is known about the evolution of a SI-NET-associated mesenteric mass over time.Methods: Retrospectively, 530 patients with proven SI-NET and ≥2 available CT-scans were assessed for clinical characteristics at diagnosis and the presence and growth of a mesenteric mass on every consecutive CT-scan until end of follow-up or resec...