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Review
. 2022 Oct 31:13:941832.
doi: 10.3389/fendo.2022.941832. eCollection 2022.

The evolution of PRRT for the treatment of neuroendocrine tumors; What comes next?

Affiliations
Review

The evolution of PRRT for the treatment of neuroendocrine tumors; What comes next?

Philip E Harris et al. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). .

Abstract

Lu-177 has been developed for the treatment of patients with peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT). A second generation pure no-carrier-added Lu-177 has a high specific activity and has waste disposal advantages over the first generation carrier-added Lu-177. PRRT has recently been developed for the treatment of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). The majority of pancreatic and gastroenteric NETs (GEP-NETs) express the somatostatin receptors (SSTRs) 2 and 5. These receptors can be specifically targeted with a somatostatin peptide analogue (DOTATOC/DOTATATE) which can be chelated to a positron emission tomography (PET) emitting radioisotope such as Ga-68 for imaging or to a β-emitting radioisotope Lu-177 for therapy. A key advantage of this approach is that the receptor expression can be demonstrated by PET imaging before the patient is treated. Clinical studies in G1 and G2 GEP-NETS have demonstrated that PRRT is extremely effective in terms of progression free survival (PFS), symptom control and quality of life, with a well-established safety profile. A beneficial effect on outcome survival awaits to be confirmed. The first commercially available product Lu-177-DOTATATE was approved following the NETTER-1 trial in G1 and G2 GE-NETS. Lu-177-DOTATATE 7,4 GBq every 8 weeks for 4 cycles, together with octreotide LAR 30 mg monthly, demonstrated a median PFS of 28,4 months compared to 8,5 months for octreotide LAR 60 mg monthly. A second pivotal study COMPETE is currently in progress, comparing no carrier-added (n.c.a.) Lu-177-DOTATOC to the m-TOR inhibitor Everolimus in both GE-NETs and PNETs. Two studies, NETTER-2 and COMPOSE are currently underway in patients with high grade G2 and G3 NETs. Novel SSTR antagonists are being developed as next generation targeting molecules for SSTR2-expressing tumors. Antagonists have a higher tumor binding to receptors than agonists, opening up the potential indications for SSTR2 targeting to tumors which have a relatively lower expression of SSTR2 compared to NET such as small cell lung cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma and breast cancer. In addition to Lu-177, radioisotopes with different radiation properties such as Tb-161 and the α-emitter Ac-225 are being developed which have the potential to improve treatment efficacy across the range of G1 to G3 NETs.

Keywords: Ga-68 PET; Lutetium-177; dosimetry; neuroendocrine tumors (NETs); peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT); targeted radionuclide therapy (TRT).

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Conflict of interest statement

PH and KZ are employees of ITM Oncologics GmbH.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
COMPETE study. Study subjects are randomised 2:1 between 4 x 12 weekly cycles of Lu-177-edotreotide vs 10 mg daily Everolimus, followed up for 30 months for PFS and 5 years for OS. *unless diagnosis of progression or end of study. **until diagnosis of progression or end of study. ***or until diagnosis of progression, whichever is earlier.
Figure 2
Figure 2
COMPOSE study. Patients are randomized 1:1 between 6 cycles Lu-177-edotreotide vs standard of care from CAPTEM, everolimus or FOLFOX therapy. Patients will be followed up for PFS and OS. *Survival data, information on further antineoplastic treatments and secondary malignancies. **Standard of Care.

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