Sequencing of Somatostatin-Receptor–Based Therapies in Neuroendocrine Tumor Patients
There can be no doubt that the discovery of somatostatin receptors as a means to treat Neuroendocrine Tumours has been a huge success. Additionally, scientists looked at a theranostic angle and provided somatostatin receptor based imaging for diagnosis and surveillance purposes. Many patients are prescribed somatostatin anlaogues shortly after diagnosis and this has led to a reduction in the morbidity that comes from active carcinoid syndrome and has reduced the incidence of carcinoid heart disease. More recently, the introduction of somatostatin receptor based PETs, taking over from the elderly Octreotide scans, has meant speedier and higher quality identification of NETs leading to more focussed treatment. Moreover, the use of somatostatin receptor based therapy via radioligands (e.g. Ga68 PET/Cu64 PET) is nothing short of a theraputic revolution now being introduced into…
