PRRT as neoadjuvant treatment in NET

Abstract

This chapter describes the possibility of using peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) as neoadjuvant treatment. PRRT is acknowledged to be a palliative treatment. Recently it has been reported that tumor size decrease followed by surgical intervention might be achieved in patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) treated with somatostatin analogs labeled with beta emitters. Such outcome of therapy has been described in a relatively small group of patients. In those patients, the treatment enabled total or partial excision of the tumor, also with liver metastases. Reduction of tumor dimensions or total excision of the tumor corresponded with prolongation of overall survival. The discussed papers on this subject differ in details of treatment (utilization of various isotopes, total activity of the isotope, or combination with radiosensitizing chemotherapy). The chapter presents a brief review of recently published manuscripts. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.