Familial syndromes associated with neuroendocrine tumours

An Overview of Altered Pathways Associated with Sensitivity to Platinum-Based Chemotherapy in Neuroendocrine Tumors: Strengths and Prospects

Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) are a diverse group of malignancies with a shared phenotype but varying prognosis and response to current treatments. Based on their morphological features and rate of proliferation, NENs can be classified into two main groups with a distinct clinical behavior and response to treatment: (i) well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) or carcinoids (with a low proliferation rate), and (ii) poorly differentiated small- or large-cell neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs) (with a high proliferation rate). For certain NENs (such as pancreatic tumors, higher-grade tumors, and those with DNA damage repair defects), chemotherapy is the main therapeutic approach. Among the different chemotherapic agents, cisplatin and carboplatin, in combination with etoposide, have shown the greatest efficacy in treating NECs compared to NETs. The cytotoxic effects of cisplatin and carboplatin are primarily due to their binding to DNA, which interferes with normal DNA transcription and/or replication. Consistent with this, NECs, which often have mutations in pathways involved in DNA repair (such as Rb, MDM2, BRCA, and PTEN), have a high response to platinum-based chemotherapy. Identifying mutations that affect molecular pathways involved in the initiation and progression of NENs can be crucial in predicting the response to platinum chemotherapy. This review aims to highlight targetable mutations that could serve as predictors of therapeutic response to platinum-based chemotherapy in NENs.

An update on the safety of lanreotide autogel for the treatment of patients with neuroendocrine tumors

INTRODUCTION

Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) are a rare group of tumors originating from neuroendocrine cells in various organs. They include neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) and neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs), which differ in biological behavior and prognosis. NETs are usually well-differentiated and slow-growing, while NECs are poorly differentiated and more aggressive. Management of NETs often involves somatostatin analogs like octreotide and lanreotide to control tumor growth and alleviate symptoms, especially in well-differentiated NETs. Lanreotide is used to control tumor growth, and both lanreotide and octreotide alleviate symptoms. Treatment approaches may vary depending on the specific type and grade of the neuroendocrine neoplasm.

AREAS COVERED

This review provides an update on the safety of lanreotide autogel in treating patients with NETs, through a comprehensive review of clinical trials, post-marketing surveillance, real-world evidence, and its safety profile. Specific adverse events, side effects, and potential risks associated with lanreotide autogel are discussed, along with risk mitigation strategies and recommendations for patient monitoring.

EXPERT OPINION

The findings highlight the overall safety of lanreotide autogel in managing NETs, focusing on its efficacy in controlling hormone secretion, tumor progression, and symptom management. New safety concerns and precautions are also addressed to help healthcare providers make informed decisions when prescribing lanreotide autogel.

[Clinical significance of neuroendocrine tumors : Incidence, symptoms, diagnosis, stage, and prognostic factors and their influence on disease management]

BACKGROUND

Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NEN) are heterogenous with an increasing incidence in recent years.

OBJECTIVES

Overview on incidence, symptoms, diagnostics, grading, imaging and prognostic determinants, including factors having an impact on therapeutic management.

METHODS

Review on current literature, including original articles, reviews, guidelines and expert opinions.

RESULTS

NEN are mainly located in the gastrointestinal tract and their incidence has increased in recent years, mainly due to improved diagnostics, e.g., cross-sectional imaging. Clinical characteristics include hormone excess syndromes (carcinoid syndrome). Laboratory markers such as chromogranin A are commonly used as part of routine diagnostics, followed by endoscopic and endosonographic procedures, which also allow biopsies to be obtained. Tumor spread can be determined by contrast-enhanced computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (CT/MRI) or somatostatin receptor (SSRT)-PET/CT (positron emission tomography). Prognostic factors include Ki67 index, type, and grading. Resection with curative intent is the therapy of choice. In a metastasized setting, SSRT-directed treatment approaches are favored, while in dedifferentiated NEN, conventional chemotherapy is needed.

CONCLUSION

A broad diagnostic armamentarium can be offered to NEN patients and the improved diagnostic procedures have most likely caused a raising incidence in recent years. Among others, prognostic factors are Ki67 and NEN subtypes; these clinical determinants also have an impact on patient management.

Masquerading as Pneumonia: A Lung Neuroendocrine Tumor Case Report

The presentation of recurrent pneumonia, particularly in the same lobe, should raise suspicion for possible neuroendocrine tumors of the lung within that respective lobe. Commonly, these types of tumors will have a gastrointestinal origin with a larger incidence of carcinoid syndrome, but they may also originate in the pancreas or lungs. This case illustrates the potential for a masked lung tumor in an otherwise young and healthy 31-year-old patient, with a short history of tobacco dependence and unremarkable family history, who presents with recurrent pneumonia and dyspnea. Although rare in itself, this case was even more unique due to the partial calcification of the neuroendocrine tumor mass along with causing a collapse in the entire right middle lobe.

Integrated single-cell analyses decode the developmental landscape of the human fetal spine

The spine has essential roles in supporting body weight, and passaging the neural elements between the body and the brain. In this study, we used integrated single-cell RNA sequencing and single-cell transposase-accessible chromatin sequencing analyses to reveal the cellular heterogeneity, lineage, and transcriptional regulatory network of the developing human spine. We found that EPYC + HAPLN1+ fibroblasts with stem cell characteristics could differentiate into chondrocytes by highly expressing the chondrogenic markers SOX9 and MATN4. Neurons could originate from neuroendocrine cells, and MEIS2 may be an essential transcription factor that promotes spinal neural progenitor cells to selectively differentiate into neurons during early gestation. Furthermore, the interaction of NRP2_SEMA3C and CD74_APP between macrophages and neurons may be essential for spinal cord development. Our integrated map provides a blueprint for understanding human spine development in the early and midgestational stages at single-cell resolution and offers a tool for investigating related diseases.

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scRNA-seq and scATAC-seq analyses reveal the developmental landscape of the fetal spine

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Chondrocytes may originate from EPYC + HAPLN1+ fibroblasts with stem cell characteristics

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Neurons may originate from neuroendocrine cells with regulation by MEIS2

Total Pancreatectomy for Multicentric Cystic Neuroendocrine Tumor of the Pancreas: A Case Report

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) are uncommon pancreatic neoplasms with malignant potential, heterogeneous clinical behavior, as well as imaging appearance. These tumors represent less than 3% of all pancreatic neoplasms with typical CT presentation as solid, well-circumscribed, hypervascular lesions. Cystic PNET is a rare pancreatic tumor which is nowadays more often detected due to the widespread use of high-resolution cross-sectional imaging. They are mainly solitary lesions most commonly localized in the body and the tail of the pancreas. Due to cystic presentation these lesions often present a diagnostic challenge to both experienced radiologists and pathologists. Herein, we present a rare case of synchronous, multiple cystic and solid pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, which due to their extensiveness required total dudenopancreatectomy with splenectomy. Histopathological findings confirmed microscopic and macroscopic cystic components as well as typical solid variants of neuroendocrine tumors along the entire pancreas.

Unique Finding of a Primary Central Nervous System Neuroendocrine Carcinoma in a 5-Year-Old Child: A Case Report

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are rare neoplasms predominantly arising in the gastrointestinal-tract or the lungs of adults. To date, only ten cases of primary central nervous system (CNS) NETs have been reported, with just three of them describing a neuroendocrine carcinoma (NECA) and none occurring in a child. We report on a previously healthy 5-year-old boy, who presented with headaches, nausea and vomiting, and was diagnosed with a left cerebellar solid mass with a cystic component. After gross-total resection, histology revealed a neuroendocrine carcinoma. Molecular analysis of the tumor tissue showed a KRAS-splice-site mutation (c451-3C > T). The KRAS-mutation was discovered to be a maternal germline mutation, previously described as likely benign. After extensive search for an extracranial primary tumor, including Ga-68 DOTANOC-PET-CT, the diagnosis of a primary CNS NECA was established, and proton irradiation was performed. Unfortunately, the patient developed an in-field recurrence just 5 weeks after the end of radiotherapy. The tumor was re-resected with vital tumor tissue. Six cycles of chemotherapy were initiated, consisting of cisplatin, carboplatin, etoposide and ifosfamide. The patient remains disease free 22 months after the end of treatment, supporting the beneficial effect of platinum- and etoposide-based chemotherapy for this tumor entity.

Editorial on the Special Issue "Novel Methods of Diagnostics of Thyroid and Parathyroid Lesions"

Thyroid nodular disease is one of the most frequent endocrine diseases [...].

Extra-pulmonary primary small-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma arising from the duodenum: rare tumor, unusual location

Small‐cell neuroendocrine carcinoma is a high‐grade carcinoma rarely encountered in extra‐pulmonary sites. A 40‐year‐old lady presented with epigastric pain and was noted to have an ulcerated small‐cell neuroendocrine carcinoma in her duodenum with liver metastases. She underwent palliative chemotherapy but unfortunately passed away. Duodenal SCNC is an unusual malignancy with an aggressive phenotype.

Nothing But NET: A Review of Neuroendocrine Tumors and Carcinomas

This review covers the diverse topic of neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs), a relatively rare and heterogeneous tumor type, comprising ~2% of all malignancies, with a prevalence of <200,000 in the United States, which makes it an orphan disease (Basu et al., 2010).1 For functional purposes, NENs are divided into two groups on the basis of clinical behavior, histology, and proliferation rate: well differentiated (low grade to intermediate grade) neuroendocrine tumors and poorly differentiated (high grade) neuroendocrine carcinoma (Bosman et al., 2010)2; this histological categorization/dichotomization is highly clinically relevant with respect to impact on treatment and prognosis even though it is not absolute since a subset of tumors with a low-grade appearance behaves similarly to high-grade lesions. Given the relative dearth of evidenced-based literature about this orphan disease as a whole (Modlin et al., 2008),3 since the focus of most articles is on particular anatomic subtypes of NENs (i.e., gastroenteropancreatic or pulmonary), the purpose of this review is to summarize the presentation, pathophysiology, staging, current standard of care treatments, and active areas of current research.

Biologics in gastrointestinal and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors

The development of biologic agents has ushered in a new era of precision medicine, opening the door to new therapeutic options designed to intelligently target cancer cells and their promoting factors, while leaving normal cells relatively unharmed. Biologics for the treatment of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) have followed in the footsteps of regimens targeting pathways upregulated in other cancers, including the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). Through a number of clinical trials, the mTOR inhibitor everolimus and the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) inhibitor sunitinib were recently approved for NETs. Other biologics such as the VEGF-A inhibitor bevacizumab have also demonstrated promising clinical activity in NETs. Interestingly, though trials have demonstrated the efficacy of everolimus and sunitinib in extending progression-free survival (PFS) in NETs, objective response rates (RR) are uniformly low, indicating that the primary effect of these drugs is maintenance of stable disease. Due to the relatively indolent nature of the more common, well-differentiated variety of NETs, stable disease is often a reasonable goal for NET patients. Well-differentiated NETs have been shown to be poor responders to cytotoxic chemotherapy, underlining the important role of biologics in treating and managing NETs and their hormonal symptoms. Ongoing and future trials are investigating a wide variety of biologic compounds in NETs, including other RTK inhibitors, mTOR pathway inhibitors, and immune checkpoint inhibitors. Within this review, we will discuss major trials leading up to the FDA approval of everolimus and sunitinib for NETs, as well as other promising biologics currently under investigation in NET clinical trials.