Abstract
Neuroendocrine tumors (NET) are frequently diagnosed late and not amenable to curative
surgery due to metastatic disease to the liver and lymph nodes. The disease is complex
and heterogeneous given the various functionalities, distinct tumor growth patterns,
and tumor spread upon diagnosis. Established therapies include somatostatin analogues,
alpha-interferon, systemic chemotherapy, and loco-regional therapies of the liver.
The availability of novel agents and expression of targets, such as growth factor
receptors, different subtypes of somatostatin receptors, and the mammalian target
of rapamycin (mTOR) have led to the exploration of different classes of drugs and
offer new treatment opportunities in neuroendocrine tumors. This review provides an
overview on novel drugs, focus on the impact of recently approved drugs on the management
of NET disease, and outline future perspectives.
Key words
targeted drugs - tyrosine kinase inhibitors - angiogenesis inhibitors - everolimus
- sunitinib
