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Therapeutic Monitoring of Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumours: The Challenges Ahead
Neuroendocrinology, 08/17/2012
Sundin A et al. – Morphology–based criteria to assess tumour response have limitations for neuroendocrine tumours (NETs), which are often slow growing and frequently demonstrate low response rates when based on conventional radiological criteria. Furthermore, many NET treatments do not induce cytotoxic effects despite demonstrated clinical benefit. Novel imaging techniques are available which have the potential to measure changes in tumour physiology and metabolism. These include 68Ga–labelled somatostatin analogs for PET/CT–based monitoring of NET, molecular imaging with PET tracers that are not based on somatostatin receptor targeting and functional MRI. These techniques should be explored as options for monitoring treatment in patients with NET.