Real-world study of everolimus in advanced progressive neuroendocrine tumors

A phase 1 study to assess the safety, tolerability and effectiveness of PV-10 (Rose Bengal Sodium) in neuroendocrine tumours metastatic to the liver

BACKGROUND

Metastatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (mNEN) require new treatment options. Intralesional (IL) PV-10 is an autolytic chemotherapy that may elicit an adaptive immune response.

METHODS

This phase 1 study evaluated IL PV-10 administered percutaneously to hepatic lesions in patients with progressive mNEN. IL PV-10 was injected in a single lesion per treatment cycle. A treatment cycle could be repeated after ≥ 6 weeks if multiple targetable lesions were present. The primary endpoint was safety.

RESULTS

Twelve patients were enrolled with a median age of 66 years (range 47-79). All patients had progressive disease at enrolment and received prior somatostatin analogues; 10 patients had peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) treatment. One lesion was injected per cycle for all 12 patients. Reported grade 3 side effects were photosensitivity (1 patient), face oedema (1 patient), elevated transaminases (1 patient), hypertension (2 patients). Response rate was 42% of injected lesions with patient-level disease control of 84%, PFS 9.4 months and median OS 24.0 months.

CONCLUSIONS

IL PV-10 elicited no safety concerns. Encouraging evidence of local and systemic disease control was seen in a heavily pre-treated, progressing mNEN population.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT02693067.

Everolimus in the Treatment of Neuroendocrine Tumors: Lights and Shadows

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) comprise a heterogeneous group of neoplasms that originate from neuroendocrine cells, characterized by their ability to secrete hormones and peptides. Once considered rare, the incidence of NETs has steadily increased due to improved diagnostic modalities. The therapeutic landscape is multifaceted, ranging from surgery for localized disease to pharmacological interventions for advanced cases. However, the absence of robust predictive biomarkers precludes patient stratification and optimization of therapy. Everolimus, an oral mTOR inhibitor, has emerged as a key therapeutic agent due to its dual role in inhibiting cell proliferation and angiogenesis. Nevertheless, challenges such as resistance mechanisms, toxicity and optimal treatment sequencing remain unresolved. This article provides a comprehensive review of the role of everolimus in the management of NETs, focusing in particular on unresolved issues, from the absence of predictive biomarkers to the unavailability of defined guidelines for determining the correct therapeutic sequence.

Survival and Chemotherapy Response in Metastatic Lung Carcinoids: Insights from the National Cancer Database

BACKGROUND

Metastatic lung carcinoids (MLCs) represent a rare subset of lung cancers with distinct histologic subtypes. Survival outcomes and prognostic factors have not been well-studied in the real-world setting. This study investigates the impact of various treatments, including chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, and no treatment, on the overall survival (OS) of patients with typical and atypical MLC.

METHODS

Patients with MLC between 2010 and 2020 were included from the National Cancer Database based on histologic codes ICD-O-3 8240/3 and 8249/3. Kaplan-Meier curves and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression were used to compare OS and evaluate prognostic factors.

RESULTS

The median age at diagnosis was 68 and 69 years for atypical and typical MLC, respectively. The 3-year OS for the atypical MLC cohort was 22.11%, and for typical MLC was 41.94% (P < 0.001). In the atypical MLC cohort, chemotherapy showed a nonsignificant benefit in OS (hazard ratio [HR], 0.89; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.73-1.05; P = 0.21), whereas hormonal therapy was associated with significantly improved OS (HR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.52-0.98; P =0.04). However, in the typical MLC cohort, chemotherapy was associated with adverse OS (HR, 2.15; 95% CI, 1.85-2.49; P < 0.0001), and hormonal treatment showed better, albeit nonsignificant OS (HR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.67-1.05; P = 0.13).

CONCLUSION

There is a notable difference in survival outcomes between typical and atypical MLC based on the treatment strategies. While hormonal therapy shows improvement in the OS, the effectiveness of chemotherapy varies depending on the histologic subtype. These findings emphasize the necessity for personalized therapeutic approaches based on the specific characteristics of MLC, ultimately contributing to improved patient outcomes in this challenging oncologic group. Further research is warranted to validate and expand upon these observations.

The Efficacy of a Lower Dose of Everolimus in Patients with Advanced Neuroendocrine Tumors

BACKGROUND

Everolimus at 10 mg daily is approved to treat patients with advanced grade 1/2 neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), although it may lead to significant toxicity. Grade 3 or higher drug-related adverse events and drug discontinuation occur in approximately one-fourth of cases. However, phase I trials have demonstrated that doses from 5 mg daily efficiently inhibit NET cell signaling.

OBJECTIVES AND METHODS

This multicenter retrospective study compared the time to treatment failure (TTF) in patients with NETs who received a mean daily dose of 7-10 mg (higher dose [HD]) or ≤6 mg (lower dose [LD]) of everolimus.

RESULTS

Ninety-two patients were included: 74 (80%) in the HD group and 18 (20%) in the LD group. At a median follow-up of 4.2 years, the median time to treatment failure (TTF) was 9.2 months for the HD and 7.2 months for the LD groups (p = 0.85). The TTF did not significantly differ between the LD and the HD groups (HR: 1.24; 95% CI: 0.68-2.25; p = 0.47), even after adjusting for age at treatment initiation, the NET grade, and the treatment line.

CONCLUSION

Everolimus doses from 5 to 6 mg/day seem to be equally as effective as higher doses, but lower doses are potentially associated with less toxicity and lower costs. These findings support validation through a randomized clinical trial.

Does the dose matter? Antiproliferative efficacy and toxicity of everolimus in patients with neuroendocrine tumors - Experiences from a tertiary referral center

The mTOR-inhibitor everolimus has been approved for the treatment of advanced neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) but is associated with relevant toxicities in clinical practice. Hence, optimal treatment sequencing and the impact of dose reductions have yet to be clarified. This retrospective analysis assessed patients with advanced, well-differentiated NET treated with everolimus at the Medical University of Vienna. The primary objective was to evaluate the efficacy of everolimus in a real-world cohort. A total of 52 patients treated with everolimus for advanced NET grade 1 (G1) or G2 (or typical or atypical carcinoid) 2010-2021 were included in this analysis. The most common sites of origin were pancreas (44%) and lung (29%). The initial dose was decided by the treating physician based on clinical assessment and 25 patients (48%) each were started at 10 mg/day and 5 mg/day. Median progression-free survival (PFS) following everolimus in the overall cohort was 9.8 months (95% CI: 4.3-15.3), with a statistically significant PFS difference (p = .03) between NET G1/typical carcinoids (42.9 months) and NET G2/atypical carcinoids (8.9 months). PFS was numerically but not significantly shorter in patients treated with a reduced dose (7.5 months vs. 12.4 months, p = .359). Even in this mixed full/half dose cohort, 93% developed treatment-related side effects (mostly grade I, no grade IV), 63% had dose reductions or interruptions, and five stopped due to toxicity. Median survival following treatment was 40.9 months (95% CI: 21.5-60.3) and no difference with regard to dosing was observed (p = .517). These data from an unselected patient cohort show long-term outcomes similar to those reported in the pivotal studies. Comparing everolimus starting dose, median PFS did not significantly differ for patients treated at a lower dose. While this finding is limited by the sample size and warrants prospective verification, initiating therapy at a reduced dose might be practicable and safe in a distinct subset of patients.

Prevalence of acute oral mucosal damage secondary to the use of systemic antineoplastics: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of acute oral mucosal toxicities in non-irradiated patients treated with systemic antineoplastics agents. The secondary objective was to find out differences in its prevalence among the different types of systemic antineoplastics.

STUDY DESIGN

A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed. Articles from 2010 to July 2022 were retrieved and included if patients were adults undergoing oral assessment after administration of commercially available systemic antineoplastics. Data was extracted and pooled proportions were estimated using random-effect model method (Der Simonian and Lair).

RESULTS

Eighty-two articles were included in the study. The overall prevalence of acute oral mucosal damage across studies was 38.2% (95% CI: 33.1%-43.3%). The prevalence was 42.9% (95% CI: 32.8%-53%) in patients treated with chemotherapy alone, 38% (95% CI: 29.1%-47%) in patients treated with a combination of chemotherapy and targeted therapies, and 32.1% (95% CI: 26.8%-37.5%) in targeted therapies alone-treated patients. No statistically significant differences were found in the prevalence of oral mucosal toxicities between the different types of systemic antineoplastic treatments.

CONCLUSIONS

Oral mucosal toxicity is a major side effect in non-irradiated cancer patients undergoing systemic antineoplastics.

Treatment efficacy in a metastatic small intestinal neuroendocrine tumour grade 2 cohort

Small intestinal neuroendocrine tumours (Si-NET) are often studied as a uniform group. Proliferation index Ki-67 influences prognosis and determines tumour grade. We hypothesized that Si-NET grade 2 (G2) tumours, which have a higher Ki-67 than G1 tumours, might benefit less from established treatments for metastatic disease. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 212 patients with metastatic Si-NET G2 treated in two Swedish hospitals during 20 years (2000-2019). Median cancer-specific survival on first-line somatostatin analogues (SSA) was 77 months. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 12.4 months when SSA was given as monotherapy and 19 months for all patients receiving first-line SSA. PFS after SSA dose escalation was 6 months in patients with radiological progression. Treatment efficacies of SSA and peptide receptor radionuclide treatment (PRRT) were studied separately in patients with Ki-67 of 3-5%, 5-10% and 10-20%. For SSA, PFS was significantly shorter at higher Ki-67 levels (31, 18 and 10 months, respectively), while there was only a minor difference in PFS for PRRT (29, 25 and 25 months). Median PFS for sequential treatment with interferon-alpha (IFNα), everolimus and chemotherapy was 6, 5 and 9 months. IFNα seemed to be effective in tumours with low somatostatin-receptor expression. In conclusion, established treatments appeared effective in Si-NET G2, despite their higher proliferation index compared to G1 tumours. However, efficacy of SSA but not PRRT was reduced at higher Ki-67 levels. SSA dose escalation provided limited disease stabilization.

Effectiveness and Prognostic Factors of Everolimus in Patients with Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms

Objective The effectiveness of everolimus for the management of pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (PNENs), including the G3/NEC types, remains unclear. We therefore investigated the effectiveness of the drug for the management of PNENs. Methods We analyzed the progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) associated with everolimus and factors influencing the PFS and OS. Results One hundred patients were evaluated. The PFS associated with the G1/G2 types tended to be significantly longer than that associated with the G3/NEC types [hazard ratio (HR), 0.45; p=0.005]. A multivariate analysis showed that the significant factors influencing the PFS were age (<65 years old; HR, 0.44; p=0.002), grade (G1/G2; HR, 0.42; p=0.006), everolimus treatment line (≤2nd; HR, 0.55; p=0.031), and presence of treatment with metformin (yes; HR, 0.29; p=0.044). The median OS was 63.8 months. In the multivariate analysis, the significant factors influencing the OS were grade (G1/G2; HR, 0.21; p<0.001), volume of liver metastasis (≤25%; HR, 0.27; p<0.001), everolimus treatment line (≤2nd; HR, 0.27; p<0.001), and presence of primary tumor resection (yes; HR, 0.33; p=0.005). Conclusion The effectiveness of everolimus in the management of G3/NEC types and prognoses tended to be poorer than those associated with the G1/G2 types. Everolimus combined with metformin and early-line treatment with everolimus may be effective for managing advanced PNENs.

Therapeutic strategies for patients with neuroendocrine neoplasms: current perspectives

INTRODUCTION

Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) are a heterogeneous group of malignancies mainly arising in the gastroenteropancreatic (GEP) and bronchopulmonary systems, with steadily increasing incidence. The therapeutic landscape has widened and the therapeutic strategy should be based on new sequences and combinations, still debated.

AREAS COVERED

Herein, we provide an overview of current approved pharmacological treatments in patients with NENs, with the aim to summarize evidence of efficacy of the main different options in GEP and pulmonary NENs, principally focusing on somatostatin analogs (SSAs), targeted therapy with everolimus and sunitinib, peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) and chemotherapy. We discuss biological rationale and toxicities, including current indications according to differentiation and placement in the therapeutic algorithm, clinical trials, and combinations. Furthermore, we recommend areas for further research.

EXPERT OPINION

Therapeutic management of patients with NENs represents a challenge for clinicians and the identification of effective sequences and combinations is of utmost importance. Major efforts should be directed to early identify and overcome resistance and to limit toxicity. The progress in the therapeutic management of NENs grows faster and the choice of the best approach should be based on randomized clinical trials, as well as on long-term, real-world data.

Observational Study in a Real-World Setting of Targeted Therapy in the Systemic Treatment of Progressive Unresectable or Metastatic Well-Differentiated Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors (pNETs) in France: OPALINE Study

INTRODUCTION

Approval of sunitinib and everolimus for the treatment of progressive, unresectable or metastatic well-differentiated pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs) was obtained in France in 2011 and 2012, respectively. OPALINE was set up as an observational study to evaluate the efficacy of sunitinib and everolimus compared to usual pNET treatments of chemotherapies and somatostatin analogues that had been previously recommended by the health authorities.

METHODS

The OPALINE study assessed the efficacy of everolimus and sunitinib in terms of survival, disease progression and tolerance. Patients (N = 144) were enrolled from May 2015 to September 2017, and their disease characteristics were analyzed from diagnosis to 2 years post-enrollment.

RESULTS

At inclusion most patients had comorbidities, and about 95% presented metastases. Patients received on average 3.2 lines of treatment from diagnosis to inclusion and two lines throughout the 2-year follow-up. Seventy-nine patients (59.0%) received at least one targeted therapy (TT) during their care path. For these patients, the overall survival (OS) was approximatively 176.5 months (95% CI: 97.2-not evaluable), with a 2-year survival rate estimated at 93.6% (SD 2.6%). Similar survival rates were observed whether the TTs were prescribed sooner or later in the treatment path. The main reasons for discontinuation of TTs were disease progression (54 patients) and adverse events (26 patients). Most patients receiving TTs did not change their dose during the follow-up reflecting the good treatment tolerability over time. No new safety alert was reported for everolimus and sunitinib during this study.

CONCLUSION

Given their good tolerance and positive impact on estimated OS, the two TTs have an important role to play in the care path of patients with pNETs.

CLINICALTRIALS

GOV NATIONAL CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER

NCT02264665.

Predictive Factors for Resistant Disease with Medical/Radiologic/Liver-Directed Anti-Tumor Treatments in Patients with Advanced Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms: Recent Advances and Controversies

Purpose: Recent advances in the diagnosis, management and nonsurgical treatment of patients with advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (panNENs) have led to an emerging need for sensitive and useful prognostic factors for predicting responses/survival. Areas covered: The predictive value of a number of reported prognostic factors including clinically-related factors (clinical/laboratory/imaging/treatment-related factors), pathological factors (histological/classification/grading), and molecular factors, on therapeutic outcomes of anti-tumor medical therapies with molecular targeting agents (everolimus/sunitinib/somatostatin analogues), chemotherapy, radiological therapy with peptide receptor radionuclide therapy, or liver-directed therapies (embolization/chemoembolization/radio-embolization (SIRTs)) are reviewed. Recent findings in each of these areas, as well as remaining controversies and uncertainties, are discussed in detail, particularly from the viewpoint of treatment sequencing. Conclusions: The recent increase in the number of available therapeutic agents for the nonsurgical treatment of patients with advanced panNENs have raised the importance of prognostic factors predictive for therapeutic outcomes of each treatment option. The establishment of sensitive and useful prognostic markers will have a significant impact on optimal treatment selection, as well as in tailoring the therapeutic sequence, and for maximizing the survival benefit of each individual patient. In the paper, the progress in this area, as well as the controversies/uncertainties, are reviewed.

Therapeutic strategies for gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms: State-of-the-art and future perspectives

Although gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (GEP-NENs) have always been considered rare tumors, their incidence has risen over the past few decades. They represent a highly heterogeneous group of neoplasms with several prognostic factors, including disease stage, proliferative index (Ki67), and tumor differentiation. Most of these neoplasms express somatostatin receptors on the cell surface, a feature that has important implications in terms of prognosis, diagnosis, and therapy. Although International Guidelines propose algorithms aimed at guiding therapeutic strategies, GEP-NEN patients are still very different from one another, and the need for personalized treatment continues to increase. Radical surgery is always the best option when feasible; however, up to 80% of cases are metastatic upon diagnosis. Regarding medical treatments, as GEP-NENs are characterized by relatively long overall survival, multiple therapy lines are adopted during the lifetime of these patients, but the optimum sequence to be followed has never been clearly defined. Furthermore, although new molecular markers aimed at predicting the response to therapy, as well as prognostic scores, are currently being studied, their application is still far from being part of daily clinical practice. As they represent a complex disease, with therapeutic protocols that are not completely standardized, GEP-NENs require a multidisciplinary approach. This review will provide an overview of the available therapeutic options for GEP-NENs and attempts to clarify the possible approaches for the management of these patients and to discuss future perspectives in this field.

Radiolabeled Somatostatin Analogues for Diagnosis and Treatment of Neuroendocrine Tumors

Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) are rare and heterogeneous tumors that require multidisciplinary discussion for optimal care. The theranostic approach (DOTA peptides labelled with 68Ga for diagnosis and with 90Y or 177Lu for therapy) plays a crucial role in the management of NENs to assess disease extension and as a criteria for peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) eligibility based on somatostatin receptor (SSTR) expression. On the diagnostic side, [68Ga]Ga-DOTA peptides PET/CT (SSTR PET/CT) is the gold standard for imaging well-differentiated SSTR-expressing neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). [18F]FDG PET/CT is useful in higher grade NENs (NET G2 with Ki-67 > 10% and NET G3; NEC) for more accurate disease characterization and prognostication. Promising emerging radiopharmaceuticals include somatostatin analogues labelled with 18F (to overcome the limits imposed by 68Ga), and SSTR antagonists (for both diagnosis and therapy). On the therapeutic side, the evidence gathered over the past two decades indicates that PRRT is to be considered as an effective and safe treatment option for SSTR-expressing NETs, and is currently included in the therapeutic algorithms of the main scientific societies. The positioning of PRRT in the treatment sequence, as well as treatment personalization (e.g., tailored dosimetry, re-treatment, selection criteria, and combination with other alternative treatment options), is warranted in order to improve its efficacy while reducing toxicity. Although very preliminary (being mostly hampered by lack of methodological standardization, especially regarding feature selection/extraction) and often including small patient cohorts, radiomic studies in NETs are also presented. To date, the implementation of radiomics in clinical practice is still unclear. The purpose of this review is to offer an overview of radiolabeled SSTR analogues for theranostic use in NENs.

Everolimus-Induced Pneumonitis in Patients with Neuroendocrine Neoplasms: Real-World Study on Risk Factors and Outcomes

Background

Everolimus-induced pneumonitis (EiP) has been poorly studied in patients with neuroendocrine neoplasms (NEN) outside clinical trials. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of EiP in patients with NENs using real-world data.

Methods

Retrospective study of everolimus-treated patients with advanced NENs. Imaging reports were systematically reviewed for the presence of pneumonitis. Clinical features and treatment profiles for EiP were summarized. Overall survival (OS) was calculated from the initiation of everolimus to the date of death or last follow-up using the Kaplan-Meier method.

Results

A total of 122 patients were included. Median age at start of everolimus was 62 (19-86) years, 62% (76/122) were male, and half were from pancreatic origin (62, 51%). Twenty-eight patients (23%) developed EiP: 82% grade (G)1 or G2, 14% G3 and 4% G4. The median time to EiP was 3.6 (0.8-51) months. Primary tumor site, concurrent lung disease, smoking history, and prior therapies were not associated with the onset of EiP. Patients who developed EiP had longer time on everolimus treatment (median 18 months vs 6 months; P = .0018) and OS (77 months vs 52 months; P = .093). Everolimus-induced pneumonitis was a predictor of improved OS by multivariable analysis (HR 0.39, 95% CI 0.19-0.82; P = .013).

Conclusion

Everolimus-induced pneumonitis in the real-world clinical setting is present in one quarter of patients with NENs receiving everolimus and often occurs early. While risk factors for EiP were not identified, patients with EiP had improved survival.

Pancreatic Masses in Children and Young Adults: Multimodality Review with Pathologic Correlation

Masses and masslike lesions of the pancreas are uncommon in the pediatric population. However, owing to overlapping clinical and imaging features, it can be challenging to differentiate the various causes of pediatric pancreatic masses at initial patient presentation. Clinical data such as patient age, signs and symptoms at presentation, laboratory test results, and potential underlying cancer predisposition syndrome can be helpful when formulating a differential diagnosis. US may be the first imaging study to depict a pancreatic mass in a child, as this examination is frequently performed in children with nonspecific abdominal signs and symptoms because of its wide availability and relatively low cost and the lack of a need for sedation or anesthesia. CT or MRI is typically required for more thorough characterization of the mass and surgical planning. Complete characterization of pancreatic masses includes assessment of vascular involvement, local invasion, and extrapancreatic spread of tumor. The authors provide an up-to-date comprehensive review of the clinical manifestations, histopathologic features, and imaging findings of primary and secondary tumors of the pancreas in children and young adults. Advances in imaging, current prognostic information, and treatment paradigms also are highlighted. Finally, nontumorous masslike lesions of the pediatric pancreas, including vascular malformations, cystic disorders (eg, von Hippel-Lindau syndrome, cystic fibrosis), intrapancreatic accessory spleen, and autoimmune pancreatitis, are discussed. Online supplemental material is available for this article. ^©RSNA, 2021.

Application of FLIC model to predict adverse events onset in neuroendocrine tumors treated with PRRT

To develop predictive models of side effect occurrence in GEPNET treated with PRRT. Metastatic GEPNETs patients treated in our centre with PRRT (177Lu-Oxodotreotide) from 2019 to 2020 were considered. Haematological, liver and renal toxicities were collected and graded according to CTCAE v5. Patients were grouped according with ECOG-PS, number of metastatic sites, previous treatment lines and therapies received before PRRT. A FLIC model with backward selection was used to detect the most relevant predictors. A subsampling approach was implemented to assess variable selection stability and model performance. Sixty-seven patients (31 males, 36 females, mean age 63) treated with PRRT were considered and followed up for 30 weeks from the beginning of the therapy. They were treated with PRRT as third or further lines in 34.3% of cases. All the patients showed at least one G1-G2, meanwhile G3-G5 were rare events. No renal G3-G4 were reported. Line of PRRT administration, age, gender and ECOG-PS were the main predictors of haematological, liver and renal CTCAE. The model performance, expressed by AUC, was > 65% for anaemia, creatinine and eGFR. The application of FLIC model can be useful to improve GEPNET decision-making, allowing clinicians to identify the better therapeutic sequence to avoid PRRT-related adverse events, on the basis of patient characteristics and previous treatment lines.

Public availability of results of ClinicalTrials.gov-registered expanded access studies

AIMS

Expanded access is the use of investigational treatments outside of clinical trials. Results of expanded access studies provide insights into how investigational treatments work in real-world settings. The objective of this study was to evaluate public availability of results of expanded access studies.

METHODS

Eligible expanded access studies were identified in ClinicalTrials.gov (CT.gov). Publications matching records of individual studies were searched for in Medline and Embase. In addition, we assessed whether results of the included studies were publicly available from other sources including CT.gov, sponsor web sites and conference proceedings.

RESULTS

After median time of 49.5 (interquartile range, 36.7-64.7) months from study completion, the results of 69 out of the 152 included studies (45.39%) were publicly available, either as a journal publication (53 studies; 34.87%) or from other source (16 studies; 10.52%). The percentage of studies whose results were available as a journal publication after 12, 24, 36 and 48 months from study completion was 13.2, 21.1, 33.1 and 35.7%, respectively. The percentage of studies whose results were publicly available from any source (including journal publications) at 12, 24, 36 and 48 months were 19.1, 29.6, 43.2 and 47.5%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Results of a considerable proportion of expanded access studies are not publicly available. In view of the growing importance of real-world data, sponsors and principal investigators of those studies should always consider making their findings public.

[18F]FDG-PET/CT and long-term responses to everolimus in advanced neuroendocrine neoplasia

PURPOSE

This study aims to identify in patients with neuroendocrine neoplasia (NEN) the potential correlation between FDG-PET findings and responses to everolimus therapy to identify predictors of long-term efficacy.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of patients with sporadic, advanced, progressive NEN treated with everolimus was performed based on the available data on FDG-PET patients obtained before commencing therapy. Data are expressed as the median (25-75th IQR). Risk factor analysis and survival analysis were performed by logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard regression and the determination of Kaplan-Meier curves, as appropriate.

RESULTS

Sixty-six patients were evaluated (NET G1 19.7%, NET G2 75.7%, and NET G3 4.6%), including 45.4% with positive FDG-PET findings. Overall, disease stabilization and a partial response were achieved for 71.2% and 6% of patients, respectively. A long-term response (> 24 months) was observed in 33% of patients. Ki67 was the only predictor of tumor progression (p = 0.03). No significant difference in clinical outcomes was observed between patients with positive or negative FDG-PET findings (median PFS was 24 months and 18 months, respectively, p = 0.337; the disease control rate was 83.3% and 70%, respectively, p = 0.245).

CONCLUSIONS

Everolimus is a valid therapeutic option for advanced, progressive, well-differentiated NEN, even in patients with positive FDG-PET findings.

The Chinese guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (2020)

Abstract

Pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (pNENs) are highly heterogeneous, and the management of pNENs patients can be intractable. To address this challenge, an expert committee was established on behalf of the Chinese Pancreatic Surgery Association, which consisted of surgical oncologists, gastroenterologists, medical oncologists, endocrinologists, radiologists, pathologists, and nuclear medicine specialists. By reviewing the important issues regarding the diagnosis and treatment of pNENs, the committee concluded evidence-based statements and recommendations in this article, in order to further improve the management of pNENs patients in China.

Opportunistic and Serious Infections in Patients with Neuroendocrine Tumors Treated with Everolimus: A Multicenter Study of Real-World Patients

INTRODUCTION

The incidence of infections is poorly studied in patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NET) treated with everolimus outside of clinical trials. We aimed to evaluate the frequency of and risk factors for opportunistic infections (Opl) or any serious infection in eligible patients.

METHODS

This was a retrospective multicenter study of a Latin American cohort of consecutive patients with advanced NET treated with everolimus. Duration of everolimus, comorbidities, Charlson comorbidity score, type of prior treatment, institution, and concurrent immunosuppressive conditions were tested for possible associations with serious (grade 3-5) infections in univariate and multivariable logistic regression models.

RESULTS

One hundred eleven patients from 5 centers were included. The median duration of everolimus was 8.9 months. After a median follow-up of 32.9 months, 34 patients (30.6%; 95% CI 22.2-40.1) experienced infections of any grade, with 24 (21.6%; 95% CI 14.8-30.4) having a serious infection and 7 (6.3%; 95% CI 2.6-12.6) having at least 1 OpI (Candida sp., Toxoplasma gondi, Pneumocystis sp., Herpes sp., and Cryptococcus sp.). Four patients (3.6%) died from infections, but only 2 deaths (1.8%) were deemed to be related to everolimus. The multivariable analysis identified everolimus duration (every 6-month increase; OR = 1.28; 95% CI 1.02-1.60; p = 0.03) as an independent risk factor for serious infection.

CONCLUSION

Infections are more frequent in NET patients using everolimus than previously reported in clinical trials. Patients on everolimus should be closely monitored for infections, especially those receiving it for several months.

Use of octreotide long acting repeatable (LAR) as second-line therapy in advanced neuroendocrine tumors in different clinical settings: an Italian Delphi survey

BACKGROUND

Somatostatin receptor ligands including octreotide LAR are first-line therapy in locally advanced or metastatic NETs that are nonresectable and well differentiated and are recommended as first-line therapy in functioning and in G1/low G2 nonfunctioning NETs. However, several questions remain that are not adequately addressed in current guidelines regarding its use in clinical scenarios in which the tumor progresses. These include use of nonconventional doses or schedules of octreotide LAR in tumors with hormonal symptoms or showing clinical-radiological progression, administration in combination with everolimus, peptide receptor radionuclide therapy, and chemotherapy, following first-line treatment with octreotide LAR.

METHODS

An expert panel was gathered to obtain consensus using Delphi methodology on a series of statements regarding further administration of octreotide LAR after its use in first-line therapy in these settings in patients who experience disease progression.

RESULTS

Consensus was reached for 8 of the 10 statements proposed in the above clinical scenarios; consensus was not achieved for two statements.

CONCLUSIONS

The present statements aim to fill current gaps in treatment guidelines by providing recommendations based on expert consensus in clinical settings in which patients progress following first-line therapy with octreotide LAR.

Should everolimus be stopped after radiological progression in metastatic insulinoma? A "cons" point of view

Insulinoma is a rare pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (pNET) potentially associated with severe hypoglycaemic crisis. The great majority of these tumors are benign. In patients with metastatic malignant insulinoma, systemic therapies aim to control both the syndrome and tumor growth. Everolimus is a drug approved for the management of advanced pNETs that can achieve both these goals. According to international guidelines and regulatory authorities, everolimus in patients with pNET should be continued until the demonstration of disease progression with standard radiologic imaging techniques. The drug is neither recommended nor authorized beyond progression. This could not be the case of advanced insulinoma patients since the antineoplastic and the glycaemic effects of everolimus seem to follow independent mechanisms. The authors present here their point of view in favor of continuing everolimus beyond progression in symptomatic insulinoma patients on the basis of a robust rationale and describing a case.

Clinical Evaluation of Everolimus in the Treatment of Neuroendocrine Tumors of the Lung: Patient Selection and Special Considerations. A Systematic and Critical Review of the Literature

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) of the lung are well-differentiated neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) with a heterogeneous clinical behaviour. Unlike gastroenteropancreatic NENs where therapeutic armamentarium clearly increased over the last decade, everolimus represented the only clinical practical innovation for lung NET patients over the last years. Therefore, for lung NETs, a multidisciplinary discussion within a dedicated team remains critical for an adequate decision-making. Although the main regulatory authorities considered the everolimus-related evidence is enough to approve the drug in advanced lung NETs, several clinical features deserve to be discussed. In this review, we systemically and critically analysed the main clinical studies including patients with advanced lung NETs receiving everolimus. Furthermore, we reported the biological and clinical background of everolimus in lung NET setting. The purpose of this review is to help clinical community to contextualize evidence and experience for a personalised use of this drug in clinical practice in the context of advanced lung NET patients.

MYC Upregulation Confers Resistance to Everolimus and Establishes Vulnerability to Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitors in Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasm Cells

INTRODUCTION

Dysregulation of the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1)-dependent pathways in pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (PanNENs) underlies the introduction of the mTORC1 inhibitor everolimus as treatment of advanced progressive PanNENs. Although everolimus significantly increases progression-free survival, most patients acquire secondary resistance to the drug. This study aimed at identifying mechanisms involved in acquisition of resistance to everolimus.

METHODS

BON-1 and everolimus-resistant (ER) BON-1 cells were used as in vitro system of sensitivity and acquired resistance. Transcriptome changes occurring in BON-1 and ER-BON-1 were investigated by RNA sequencing and validated by quantitative PCR analysis. RNA extracted from patients' biopsies was used to validate MYC upregulation. Drug screening and functional assays were performed using ER-BON-1 cells. Cell cycle progression was evaluated by FACS analysis.

RESULTS

Our results show that MYC overexpression is a key event in the development of secondary resistance to everolimus in PanNEN cell lines and in metastatic lesions from neuroendocrine neoplasm patients. MYC knockdown restored ER-BON-1 sensitivity to everolimus. Pharmacological inhibition of MYC mediated by the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor dinaciclib strongly reduced viability of ER-BON-1. Dinaciclib synergized with everolimus and inhibited ER-BON-1 cell cycle progression.

DISCUSSION

Our findings suggest that MYC upregulation drives the development of secondary resistance to everolimus in PanNENs and that its inhibition is an exploitable vulnerability. Indeed, our results indicate that combined treatments with cyclin-dependent kinase and mTOR inhibitors may counteract secondary resistance to everolimus in PanNENs and may pave the ground for new therapeutic regimens for these tumors.

Endocrinological Toxicity Secondary to Treatment of Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms (GEP-NENs)

Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (GEP-NENs) are increasingly recognized, characterized by prolonged survival even with metastatic disease. Their medical treatment is complex involving various specialties, necessitating awareness of treatment-related adverse effects (AEs). As GEP-NENs express somatostatin receptors (SSTRs), long-acting somatostatin analogs (SSAs) that are used for secretory syndrome and tumor control may lead to altered glucose metabolism. Everolimus and sunitinib are molecular targeted agents that affect glucose and lipid metabolism and may induce hypothyroidism or hypocalcemia, respectively. Chemotherapeutic drugs can affect the reproductive system and water homeostasis, whereas immunotherapeutic agents can cause hypophysitis and thyroiditis or other immune-mediated disorders. Treatment with radiopeptides may temporarily lead to radiation-induced hormone disturbances. As drugs targeting GEP-NENs are increasingly introduced, recognition and management of endocrine-related AEs may improve compliance and the quality of life of these patients.

Nonconventional Doses of Somatostatin Analogs in Patients With Progressing Well-Differentiated Neuroendocrine Tumor

PURPOSE

To evaluate the antiproliferative activity and safety of nonconventional high doses of somatostatin analogs (HD-SSA) in patients with well-differentiated gastroenteropancreatic (GEP) neuroendocrine tumors (NET) with radiological disease progression according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) criteria on a previous treatment.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of prospectively maintained databases from 13 Italian NET-dedicated centers was performed. Main inclusion criteria were: well-differentiated G1 or G2 GEP-NET, progressive disease on a previous treatment, and subsequent treatment with HD-SSA (either by increased administered dose [dose intensity] or shortened interval between administrations [dose density]). Main endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) and safety.

RESULTS

Of 198 patients, 140 matched inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. Overall, median PFS was 31 months. Use of HD-SSA as second-line treatment was associated with reduced risk for progression or death compared with third- or further-line treatment (HR: 2.12; P = 0.004). There was no difference in PFS between HD-SSA by increased dose density (N = 133; 95%) or intensity (N = 7; 5%). Partial response according to RECIST criteria was observed in 12 patients (8.6%), and stable disease was achieved in 106 (75.7%) patients. Adverse events occurred in 21 patients (15.0%), 2 of whom had grade 3 biliary stone disease. No patients discontinued HD-SSA treatment due to adverse events.

CONCLUSIONS

HD-SSA is an active and safe treatment option in patients with progressive well-differentiated GEP-NET. The high rate of objective responses observed deserves prospective validation in ad hoc clinical trials.

177Lu-DOTATATE peptide receptor radionuclide therapy versus Everolimus in advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs) present a therapeutic challenge with targeted therapies like Everolimus and Lu-DOTATATE peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) showing beneficial effects in various cohort studies and randomized trials. Currently there is a paucity of trials with head-to-head comparison between PRRT and Everolimus in advanced pNETs. This systematic review was conducted to compare the therapeutic efficacy and safety profile of Lu-DOTATATE and Everolimus in advanced pNETs.

METHODS

The review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. Searches in Pubmed, Scopus and Embase using relevant keywords selected articles up to June 2019. Data on efficacy and safety were extracted from the individual articles. Random effects model was used for meta-analysis.

RESULTS

Fifteen articles consisting of 697 patients reported on Lu-DOTATATE and 12 articles consisting of 946 patients reported on Everolimus. Overall, treatment with Lu-DOTATATE had better objective response rate (47% vs. 12%, P < 0.001) and disease control rate (81% vs. 73%, P < 0.001) and longer progression-free survival (25.7 months vs. 14.7 months, P < 0.001) than with Everolimus. Lu-DOTATATE also had a better safety profile than Everolimus with fewer patients showing grade 3/4 hematological toxicity (5% vs. 11%, P = 0.02) and nephrotoxicity (1% vs. 2.5%, P = 0.34). Treatment-related adverse events caused discontinuation of therapy more frequently for Everolimus than for Lu-DOTATATE (59 out of 371 patients vs. 0 out of 128 patients).

CONCLUSION

From this meta-analysis, Lu-DOTATATE showed better therapeutic efficacy and safety profile compared to Everolimus in advanced pNETs.

Stomatitis And Everolimus: A Review Of Current Literature On 8,201 Patients

Background

Oral toxicities, such as mucositis and stomatitis, are some of the most significant and unavoidable side effects associated with anticancer therapies. In past decades, research has focused on newer targeted agents with the aim of decreasing the rates of side effects on healthy cells. Unfortunately, even targeted anticancer therapies show significant rates of toxicity on healthy tissue. mTOR inhibitors display some adverse events, such as hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, hypophosphatemia, hematologic toxicities, and mucocutaneous eruption, but the most important are still stomatitis and skin rash, which are often dose-limiting side effects.

Aim

This review was performed to answer the question “What is the incidence of stomatitis in patients treated with everolimus?”

Methods

We conducted a systematic search on the PubMed and Medline online databases using a combination of MESH terms and free text: “everolimus” (MESH) AND “side effects” OR “toxicities” OR “adverse events”. Only studies fulfilling the following inclusion criteria were considered eligible for inclusion in this study: performed on human subjects, reporting on the use of everolimus (even if in combination with other drugs or ionizing radiation), written in the English language, and reporting the incidence of side effects.

Results

The analysis of literature revealed that the overall incidence of stomatitis after treatment with everolimus was 42.6% (3,493) and that of stomatitis grade G1/2 84.02% (2,935), while G3/4 was 15.97% (558).

Conclusion

Results of the analysis showed that the incidence of stomatitis of grade 1 or 2 is higher than grade 3 or 4. However, it must be taken into account that it is not possible to say if side effects are entirely due to everolimus therapy or combinations with other drugs.

Therapeutic sequences in patients with grade 1-2 neuroendocrine tumors (NET): an observational multicenter study from the ELIOS group

PURPOSE

Many different treatments are suggested by guidelines to treat grade 1-2 (G1-G2) neuroendocrine tumors (NET). However, a precise therapeutic algorithm has not yet been established. This study aims at identifying and comparing the main therapeutic sequences in G1-G2 NET.

METHODS

A retrospective observational Italian multicenter study was designed to collect data on therapeutic sequences in NET. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was compared between therapeutic sequences, as well as the number and grade of side effects and the rate of dose reduction/treatment discontinuation.

RESULTS

Among 1182 patients with neuroendocrine neoplasia included in the ELIOS database, 131 G1-G2 gastroenteropancreatic, lung and unknown primary NET, unresectable or persistent/relapsing after surgery, treated with ≥2 systemic treatments, were included. Four main therapeutic sequences were identified in 99 patients: (A) somatostatin analogs (SSA) standard dose to SSA high dose (n = 36), (B) SSA to everolimus (n = 31), (C) SSA to chemotherapy (n = 17), (D) SSA to peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) (n = 15). Median PFS of the second-line treatment was not reached in sequence A, 33 months in sequence B, 20 months in sequence C, 30 months in sequence D (p = 0.16). Both total number and severity of side effects were significantly higher in sequences B and C than A and D (p = 0.04), as well as the rate of dose reduction/discontinuation (p = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

SSA followed by SSA high dose, everolimus, chemotherapy or PRRT represent the main therapeutic sequences in G1-G2 NET. Median PFS was not significantly different between sequences. However, the sequences with SSA high dose or PRRT seem to be better tolerated than sequences with everolimus or chemotherapy.

Systemic treatment for lung carcinoids: from bench to bedside

In the huge spectrum of lung neuroendocrine neoplasms, typical and atypical carcinoids should be considered as a separate biological entity from poorly differentiated forms, harboring peculiar molecular alterations. Despite their indolent behavior, lung carcinoids correlate with a worse survival. To date, only limited therapeutic options are available and novel drugs are strongly needed. In this work, we extensively reviewed scientific literature exploring available therapeutic options, new molecular targets and future perspectives in the management of well differentiated neoplasms of bronchopulmonary tree. Systemic therapy represents the main option in advanced and unresectable disease; accepted choices are somatostatin analogs, peptide receptor radionuclide therapy, everolimus and chemotherapy. To date, an univocal treatment strategy has not been identified yet, thus tailored therapeutic algorithms should consider treatment efficacy as well as safety profiles. Several molecular alterations found in carcinoid tumors might act as molecular targets leading to development of new therapeutic options. Further studies are necessary to identify new potential "druggable" molecular targets in the selected subset of low-grade lung carcinoids. Furthermore, evaluating the available therapies in more homogeneous population might improve their efficacy through a perfect tailoring of treatment options.

Phase I Trial of Dose-escalated Whole Liver Irradiation With Hepatic Arterial Fluorodeoxyuridine/Leucovorin and Streptozotocin Followed by Fluorodeoxyuridine/Leucovorin and Chemoembolization for Patients With Neuroendocrine Hepatic Metastases

OBJECTIVES

We have previously shown that refractory neuroendocrine tumors can respond to moderate doses of chemoradiotherapy. We completed a dose-escalation phase I/II trial combining hepatic arterial (HA) chemotherapy, chemoembolization, and dose-escalated whole liver radiotherapy to determine the maximum safe dose of radiation that could be delivered and to make a preliminary assessment of response.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

From 2002 to 2009, 19 patients with symptomatic neuroendocrine liver metastases who failed somatostatin analog therapy were enrolled. HA fluorodeoxyuridine, leucovorin, and streptozotocin were delivered, as concurrent whole liver radiotherapy was dose escalated from 24 to 32 Gy in 2 Gy fractions, with a target rate of dose-limiting grade ≥3 radiation-induced liver disease of 10%. Eight weeks later, for patients without grade ≥3 liver or grade ≥4 any toxicity, a 72-hour infusion of HA fluorodeoxyuridine and leucovorin was given, followed by transarterial chemoembolization.

RESULTS

Eleven patients completed the entire protocol and received 24 to 32 Gy. No patients developed radiation-induced liver disease; 7 had grade 3 to 4 transiently increased liver function tests, and 4 had other grade 4 toxicities. Three patients (14%) had partial response, 16 (84%) stable disease. Median freedom from local progression and overall survival were 35.3 and 54.6 months, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Thirty-two in 2 Gy daily fractions can be delivered safely when combined with HA chemotherapy and subsequent transarterial chemoembolization. However, although objective responses were observed, this combination was not significantly better than our prior approaches. Further treatment intensification strategies, including individualized dose escalation for radiation-tolerant livers, and improved radiosensitization should be investigated, along with improved systemic therapy.

Oral stomatitis and mTOR inhibitors: A review of current evidence in 20,915 patients

BACKGROUND

Traditional treatment of malignancies with chemotherapeutic agents is often affected by the damage inflicted on non-cancerous cells. Toxicities of the oral cavity, such as mucositis and stomatitis, are some of the most significant and unavoidable toxicities associated with anti-cancer therapies. For such reason, in the last decades, newer targeted agents have been developed aiming to decrease the rates of side effects on healthy cells. Unfortunately, targeted anti-cancer therapies also showed significant rate of toxicity on healthy tissues. mTOR inhibitors showed some adverse events, such as hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, hypophosphatemia, hematologic toxicities, and mucocutaneous eruption, but the most important are still stomatitis and skin rash, often reported as dose-limiting side effects.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A search of the literature was performed by authors on the PubMed online database using the following key words: "sirolimus" OR "everolimus" OR "temsirolimus" OR "deforolimus" OR "ridaforolimus" combined with the Boolean operator AND with the terms: "stomatitis" OR "mucositis" OR "oral pain." Titles and abstracts of 382 potentially relevant studies were screened; of these, 114 studies were excluded because they did not report the inclusion criteria. In the second round, 268 studies were read full-text, but only 135 reported the inclusion criteria and were included for data extraction. Of the included studies, 95 referred to everolimus use, 16 to ridaforolimus, and 26 to temsirolimus (two studies referred to both everolimus and temsirolimus).

RESULTS

The incidence rate of stomatitis according to the agent used was 25.07% (3,959/15,787) for everolimus, 27.02% (724/2,679) for temsirolimus, and 54.76% (598/1,092) for ridaforolimus. All the three agents analyzed showed high rates of low-grade stomatitis (G1-G2), while the onset of severe stomatitis (G3-G4) was rare.

CONCLUSIONS

Analysis of the reports with patients treated with everolimus, temsirolimus, and ridaforolimus showed a clear prevalence of stomatitis grade 1 or 2. These data differ from that of patients treated with conventional chemotherapy in which mucositis is predominantly of grade 3 or 4.

New Treatments for the Carcinoid Syndrome

Neuroendocrine tumors, including carcinoids, are rare and insidiously growing tumors. Related to their site of origin, tumors can be functional, causing various forms of the carcinoid syndrome, owing to the overproduction of serotonin, histamine, or other bioactive substances. They often invade adjacent structures or metastasize to the liver and elsewhere. Treatment includes multimodal approaches, including cytoreductive surgery, locoregional embolization, cytotoxic therapy, peptide receptor radionuclide therapy, and various targeted therapies with goals of symptom relief and control of tumor growth. This article summarizes current and emerging approaches to management and reviews several promising future therapies.

Relative effectiveness of sunitinib versus everolimus in advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: an updated matching-adjusted indirect comparison

AIM

A matching-adjusted indirect comparison (MAIC) of sunitinib and everolimus has been previously reported based on the RADIANT-3 everolimus trial. We performed an analysis using updated overall survival (OS) data based on sunitinib's trial (A6181111).

METHODS

The MAIC matched on all baseline characteristics available from both studies. An anchored MAIC was performed for progression-free survival (PFS); an unanchored analysis was deemed more appropriate for OS due to crossover in both trials. A hazard ratio for sunitinib versus everolimus was derived from adjusted (weighted) sunitinib effects compared with the observed results for everolimus.

RESULTS

The adjusted hazard ratio for sunitinib versus everolimus was 0.85 (0.39-1.89) for PFS and 0.82 (0.53-1.27) for OS.

CONCLUSION

Findings indicate comparable PFS and OS with sunitinib and everolimus.

A classification prognostic score to predict OS in stage IV well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors

No validated prognostic tool is available for predicting overall survival (OS) of patients with well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors (WDNETs). This study, conducted in three independent cohorts of patients from five different European countries, aimed to develop and validate a classification prognostic score for OS in patients with stage IV WDNETs. We retrospectively collected data on 1387 patients: (i) patients treated at the Istituto Nazionale Tumori (Milan, Italy; n = 515); (ii) European cohort of rare NET patients included in the European RARECAREnet database (n = 457); (iii) Italian multicentric cohort of pancreatic NET (pNETs) patients treated at 24 Italian institutions (n = 415). The score was developed using data from patients included in cohort (i) (training set); external validation was performed by applying the score to the data of the two independent cohorts (ii) and (iii) evaluating both calibration and discriminative ability (Harrell C statistic). We used data on age, primary tumor site, metastasis (synchronous vs metachronous), Ki-67, functional status and primary surgery to build the score, which was developed for classifying patients into three groups with differential 10-year OS: (I) favorable risk group: 10-year OS ≥70%; (II) intermediate risk group: 30% ≤ 10-year OS < 70%; (III) poor risk group: 10-year OS <30%. The Harrell C statistic was 0.661 in the training set, and 0.626 and 0.601 in the RARECAREnet and Italian multicentric validation sets, respectively. In conclusion, based on the analysis of three 'field-practice' cohorts collected in different settings, we defined and validated a prognostic score to classify patients into three groups with different long-term prognoses.

Everolimus in the treatment of neuroendocrine tumors: efficacy, side-effects, resistance, and factors affecting its place in the treatment sequence

Since the initial approval of everolimus in 2011, there have been a number of important changes in therapeutic/diagnostic modalities as well as classification/staging systems of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), which can significantly impact the use of everolimus in patients with advanced NETs. Areas covered: The efficacy of everolimus monotherapy and combination therapy demonstrated in clinical studies involving patients with advanced NETs are reviewed. Several factors affecting everolimus use are described including: the development and routine use of NET classification/staging systems; widespread use of molecular imaging modalities; side effects; drug resistance; and the availability of other treatment options. Furthermore, the current position of everolimus in the treatment approach is discussed, taking into account the recommendations from the recent guidelines. Expert opinion: Although everolimus demonstrated its high efficacy and tolerability in the RADIANT trials and other clinical studies, there still remain a number of controversies related to everolimus treatment in the management of NETs. The synergistic anti-growth effect of other agents in combination with everolimus or its effect on overall survival have not been established. The appropriate order of the use of everolimus in the treatment of advanced NETs still remains unclear, which needs to be defined in further studies and will be addressed in the new guidelines.

Sunitinib in patients with pre-treated pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: A real-world study

INTRODUCTION

Besides data reported in a Phase-III trial, data on sunitinib in pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors (panNETs) are scanty.

AIM

To evaluate sunitinib efficacy and tolerability in panNETs patients treated in a real-world setting.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Retrospective analysis of progressive panNETs treated with sunitinib. Efficacy was assessed by evaluating progression-free survival, overall survival, and disease control (DC) rate (stable disease (SD) + partial response + complete response). Data are reported as median (25th-75th IQR).

RESULTS

Eighty patients were included. Overall, 71.1% had NET G2, 26.3% had NET G1, and 2.6% had NET G3 neoplasms. A total of 53 patients (66.3%) had received three or more therapeutic regimens before sunitinib, with 24 patients (30%) having been treated with four previous treatments. Median PFS was 10 months. Similar risk of progression was observed between NET G1 and NET G2 tumors (median PFS 11 months and 8 months, respectively), and between patients who had received ≥ 3 vs ≤ 2 therapeutic approaches before sunitinib (median PFS 9 months and 10 months, respectively). DC rate was 71.3% and SD was the most frequent observed response, occurring in 43 pts (53.8%). Overall, 59 pts (73.8%) experienced AEs, which were grade 1-2 in 43 of them (72.9%), grade 3 in 15 pts (25.4%), and grade 4 in one patient (1.7%). Six pts (7.5%) stopped treatment due to toxicity.

CONCLUSIONS

The present real-world experience shows that sunitinib is a safe and effective treatment for panNETs, even in the clinical setting of heavily pre-treated, progressive diseases.

Emerging Perspectives on mTOR Inhibitor-Associated Pneumonitis in Breast Cancer

Substantial improvements in the early detection and treatment of breast cancer have led to improvements in survival, but breast cancer remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in women. In 2012, the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor everolimus was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of advanced breast cancer in patients resistant to endocrine therapy. Although everolimus is generally well tolerated, mTOR inhibitor-associated pneumonitis is one of the most common adverse drug events leading to treatment discontinuation. To date, the underlying pathophysiology of this toxicity is unclear, and this uncertainty may hinder the optimization of management strategies. However, experiences from breast cancer and renal cell carcinoma clinical trials indicate that mTOR inhibitor-associated pneumonitis can be effectively managed by early detection, accurate diagnosis, and prompt intervention that generally involves everolimus dose reductions, interruptions, or discontinuation. Management can be achieved by a multidisciplinary approach that involves the collaborative efforts of nurses, oncologists, radiologists, infectious disease specialists, pulmonologists, clinical pharmacists, and pathologists. Comprehensive education must be provided to all health care professionals involved in managing patients receiving everolimus therapy. Although general recommendations on the management of mTOR inhibitor-associated pneumonitis have been published, there is a lack of consensus on the optimal management of this potentially serious complication. This article provides an overview of mTOR inhibitor-associated pneumonitis, with a focus on the detection, accurate diagnosis, and optimal management of this class-related complication of mTOR inhibitor therapy.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

This article summarizes the pathogenesis, clinical presentation, incidence, detection, and optimal management of everolimus-related noninfectious pneumonitis in breast cancer. In particular, this article provides a detailed overview of the important aspects of the detection, accurate diagnosis, and appropriate management of mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor-associated pneumonitis. In addition, this article emphasizes that effective management of this adverse drug event in patients with breast cancer will require a multidisciplinary approach and collaboration among various health care professionals.

How do the results of the RADIANT trials impact on the management of NET patients? A systematic review of published studies

In the last five years, everolimus has demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) of different origins; its efficacy and safety were explored in the RADIANT trials, the last of which (RADIANT-4) has been recently published (December 2015). Overall, evidence collected from the RADIANT studies holds promise to change clinical practice for the treatment of NETs.In this paper, we comment on the role of everolimus within the therapeutic algorithm for NETs treatment, based on the systematic analysis of the RADIANT trials and our experience.

The place of liver transplantation in the treatment of hepatic metastases from neuroendocrine tumors: Pros and cons

Liver metastases occur in nearly half of NET patients (MNETs) and heavily affect prognosis, with 5-yr. OS around 19-38%. Although it is difficult to show outcome differences for available treatments, due to the long course of disease, surgery for MNETs remains the most effective option in terms of survival and symptom control. Since MNETs frequently present as an oligo-metastatic, liver-limited disease, unresectable in 80% of cases, liver transplantation (LT) has emerged as a potential curative treatment. Nevertheless, experience with LT for MNETs is limited and burdened by highly heterogeneous outcomes and significant recurrence rate, mostly explained by the variability of selection criteria. Several prognostic factors have been identified: extended surgery on primary tumor associated to LT, elderly patients, pancreatic primary (pNET), extensive liver involvement, poorly differentiated tumors, high Ki67 levels and short wait time to LT. A proper patients' selection based on these data (Milan NET criteria) allows a significant survival advantage over non-transplant strategies, with excellent outcomes in recent series (69-97.2% 5-yr. OS) as opposed to patients undergoing non-surgical treatments (34-50.9%). Evidence indicates LT as the best option for selected patients with MNETs. The use of organs for MNETs is therefore justified.

Impact of prior therapies on everolimus activity: an exploratory analysis of RADIANT-4

Background

Recently, everolimus was shown to improve median progression-free survival (PFS) by 7.1 months in patients with advanced, progressive, well-differentiated, nonfunctional neuroendocrine tumors (NET) of lung or gastrointestinal (GI) tract compared with placebo (HR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.35–0.67; P<0.00001) in the Phase III, RADIANT-4 study. This post hoc analysis evaluates the impact of prior therapies (somatostatin analogs [SSA], chemotherapy, and radiotherapy) on everolimus activity.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01524783.

Patients and methods

Patients were randomized (2:1) to everolimus 10 mg/day or placebo, both with best supportive care. Subgroups of patients who received prior SSA, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy (including peptide receptor radionuclide therapy) were analyzed and reported.

Results

A total of 302 patients were enrolled, of whom, 163 (54%) had any prior SSA use (mostly for tumor control), 77 (25%) received chemotherapy, and 63 (21%) were previously exposed to radiotherapy. Patients who received everolimus had longer median PFS compared with placebo, regardless of previous SSA (with SSA: 11.1 vs 4.5 months [HR, 0.56 {95% CI, 0.37–0.85}]; without SSA: 9.5 vs 3.7 months [0.57 {0.36–0.89}]), chemotherapy (with chemotherapy: 9.2 vs 2.1 months [0.35 {0.19–0.64}]; without chemotherapy: 11.2 vs 5.4 months [0.60 {0.42–0.86}]), or radiotherapy (with radiotherapy: 9.2 vs 3.0 months [0.47 {0.24–0.94}]; without radiotherapy: 11 vs 5.1 months [0.59 {0.42–0.83}]) exposure. The most frequent drug-related adverse events included stomatitis (59%–65%), fatigue (27%–35%), and diarrhea (24%–34%) among the subgroups.

Conclusion

These results suggest that everolimus improves PFS in patients with advanced, progressive lung or GI NET, regardless of prior therapies. Safety findings were consistent with the known safety profile of everolimus in NET.

Systemic therapy in incurable gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours: a clinical practice guideline

PURPOSE

The purpose of the present review was to determine which antineoplastic systemic therapy is most effective in improving clinical outcomes for patients with incurable gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (nets).

METHODS

A systematic search (2008-2016) of the literature in the medline and embase databases and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews was conducted; abstracts from the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Society of Clinical Oncology Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium, the European Society for Medical Oncology, the European Cancer Congress, the European Neuroendocrine Tumor Society, and the North American Neuroendocrine Tumor Society were reviewed. Draft recommendations were created, and a comprehensive review process was undertaken. Outcomes-including progression-free survival (pfs), overall survival, objective response rate, adverse events, and quality of life-were extracted from each of the studies.

RESULTS

Eleven randomized controlled trials (rcts), sixteen nonrandomized prospective studies, and thirteen retrospective studies met the inclusion criteria.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with well-or moderately-differentiated pancreatic nets (pnets) should receive targeted therapy (that is, everolimus or sunitinib), and patients with non-pnets should be offered either targeted therapy (that is, everolimus) or somatostatin analogues (ssas-that is, octreotide long-acting release or lanreotide). Evidence from two phase iii trials demonstrated a significant pfs benefit for patients with pnets. For patients with non-pnets, the evidence comes from subgroup analyses of rcts, as well as from a planned interim analysis. Although the evidence has limitations, the rarity of the disease, coupled with the difficulty of conducting methodologically sound trials in the affected population, means that treatment decisions have to make use of the best available evidence. Because of insufficient evidence for both pnets and non-pnets, no evidence-based recommendation can be made for or against other types of targeted therapy, other ssas, chemotherapy, or combination therapy.

Prognostic impact of the cumulative dose and dose intensity of everolimus in patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors

The aim of this work is to assess if cumulative dose (CD) and dose intensity (DI) of everolimus may affect survival of advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) patients. One hundred and sixteen patients (62 males and 54 females, median age 55 years) with advanced PNETs were treated with everolimus for ≥3 months. According to a Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis, patients were stratified into two groups, with CD ≤ 3000 mg (Group A; n = 68) and CD > 3000 mg (Group B; n = 48). The response rate and toxicity were comparable in the two groups. However, patients in group A experienced more dose modifications than patients in group B. Median OS was 24 months in Group A while in Group B it was not reached (HR: 26.9; 95% CI: 11.0-76.7; P < 0.0001). Patients who maintained a DI higher than 9 mg/day experienced a significantly longer OS and experienced a trend to higher response rate. Overall, our study results showed that both CD and DI of everolimus play a prognostic role for patients with advanced PNETs treated with everolimus. This should prompt efforts to continue everolimus administration in responsive patients up to at least 3000 mg despite delays or temporary interruptions.

Everolimus as first line therapy for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours: current knowledge and future perspectives

PURPOSE

Everolimus has been shown to be effective for advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (pNETs), but its positioning in the therapeutic algorithm for pNETs is matter of debate.

METHODS

With the aim to shed light on this point, we performed an up-to-date critical review taking into account the results of both retrospective and prospective published studies, and the recommendations of international guidelines. In addition, we performed an extensive search on the Clinical Trial Registries databases worldwide, to gather information on the ongoing clinical trials related to this specific topic.

RESULTS

We identified eight retrospective published studies, two prospective published studies, and five registered clinical trials. Moreover, we analyzed the content of four widespread international guidelines.

CONCLUSIONS

Our critical review confirms the lack of high-quality data to recommend everolimus as the first line therapy for pNETs. The ongoing clinical trials reported in this review will hopefully help clinicians, in the near future, to better evaluate the role of everolimus as the first line therapy for pNETs. However, at the moment, there is already enough evidence to recommend everolimus as the first line therapy for patients with symptomatic malignant unresectable insulin-secreting pNETs, to control the endocrine syndrome regardless of tumour growth.