Targeted therapy - Ronny Allan - Living with Neuroendocrine Cancer

Tag: Targeted therapy

A type of treatment that uses drugs or other substances to identify and attack specific types of cancer cells with less harm to normal cells. Some targeted therapies block the action of certain enzymes, proteins, or other molecules involved in the growth and spread of cancer cells. Other types of targeted therapies help the immune system kill cancer cells or deliver toxic substances directly to cancer cells and kill them. Targeted therapy may have fewer side effects than other types of cancer treatment. Most targeted therapies are either small molecule drugs or monoclonal antibodies.

03Nov 2023 by Ronny Allan 2 Comments

Neuroendocrine Tumors and Carcinoid Syndrome: Individualizing Treatment to Match the Tumor Burden and Symptoms

Treatment

Another episode in the expert opinion series. I thought this might be useful for some of you after an interesting 'google alert' brought up these discussions. It comprises a roundtable discussion with known NET specialists and some big hitters too. Jonathan Strosberg MD from Moffitt Cancer Center FloridaJennifer Eads MD from University of Pennsylvania, Abramson Cancer CenterThorvadur R. Halfdanarson MD from Mayo RochesterThe discussion is centred on the following statement and questionSomatostatin analogues (SSAs) are a therapeutic mainstay for the treatment of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) and carcinoid syndrome, but, when progression occurs, additional interventions are needed. Some of the novel strategies that are being explored to treat patients with advanced NETs of varying origins include chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies and peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) using alpha-particle emitters.Q: How…

11Sep 2021 by Ronny Allan No Comments

Neuroendocrine Tumors: Targeted Therapies – Update from NET Specialist Diane Reidy-Lagunes, MD, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center – August 2021

Clinical Trials and Research, Patient Advocacy, Survivorship, Treatment

Background. For those who want a quick run through of Neuroendocrine Tumors from diagnosis to selection of treatment, about the treatments themselves plus what is the Future Directions in the Management of Neuroendocrine Tumors. There are 8 episodes, and each is around 3-5 minutes long. I personally found them very useful and in a language understandable to patients. Great job by OncLive and Dr Reidy-Lagunes! Episode 1 - Understanding the Diagnosis and Prognosis of Neuroendocrine Tumors Diane Reidy-Lagunes, MD, provides an overview of neuroendocrine tumors, along with specific considerations for optimal diagnosis and prognostication. Understanding the Diagnosis and Prognosis of Neuroendocrine Tumors (onclive.com) Episode 2 - Neuroendocrine Tumor Pathogenesis and Molecular Testing Expert insight on the pathogenesis of neuroendocrine tumors and the best use of molecular testing to inform treatment decisions.Neuroendocrine Tumor Pathogenesis…

07Mar 2021 by Ronny Allan No Comments

Treatment for Neuroendocrine Cancer – a summary for patients

Treatment

ScopeThis summary provides an overview of the types of therapy known for treating Neuroendocrine Cancer. They will have been approved at least by one national or regional approval agency, may not be available or approved in your own country; and may appear in clinical guidelines for the treatment of Neuroendocrine Cancer.Clinical trials will not be covered, although it's noted that some of the approved treatments listed may be in follow on trials either to prove new coverage or used in combination with another drug. For a list of clinical trials covered by the author, click here. This summary will not include complementary or alternative treatment but may cover or overlap with experimental treatment. Who recommends the best treatment for my condition? Different types of doctors often work together to create a…

12Sep 2020 by Ronny Allan 1 Comment

Clinical Trial of Tidutamab in Neuroendocrine Cancer (DUET-1)

Clinical Trials and Research

UPDATE: 13th July 2022Xencor halted this clinical trial due to disappointing results. Click here to read moreXencor, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing engineered monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases, today announced that initial data from its ongoing Phase 1 dose-escalation study of tidutamab (XmAb®18087), an SSTR2 x CD3 bispecific antibody, in patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) will be presented during the upcoming North American Neuroendocrine Tumor Society’s 2021 Multidisciplinary NET Medical Virtual Symposium (note - it was also presented at NANETS 2020). What are monocloncal antibodies? See here About Tidutamab Monoclonal antibodies are laboratory-produced molecules engineered to serve as substitute antibodies that can restore, enhance or mimic the immune system's attack on cancer cells. They are designed to bind to antigens that are generally more numerous on…

24Jun 2020 by Ronny Allan No Comments

Targeted Therapy for Neuroendocrine Cancer – Sunitinib (Sutent)

Clinical Trials and Research, Treatment

Click here to see the A to Z of Neuroendocrine Cancer What is Sunitinib (Sutent)? Manufactured by Pfizer, this is a targeted biological therapy or more accurately, a multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). You may also see it described as an anti-angiogenic agent on the basis that these tumor types are highly vascularized and show high expression of something called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a key driver of angiogenesis in neuroendocrine tumors. Because NETs are generally hypervascularized tumors, treatment with antiangiogenic drugs seems a rational approach. A complex process but in the simplest of terms, sunitinib blocks a particular enzyme and keeps tumors from making their own blood vessels, which are needed to deliver oxygen and other nutrients to help them survive and grow. In clinical trials, SUTENT was…

22Jun 2020 by Ronny Allan No Comments

Targeted Therapy for Neuroendocrine Cancer – Everolimus (Afinitor)

Clinical Trials and Research, Treatment

Click picture to read the A to Z of Neuroendocrine Cancer What is Everolimus (Afinitor)? Manufactured by Novartis, this is a targeted biological therapy or more accurately, a mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor. It works by stopping some of the signals within cells that make them grow and divide. Everolimus stops a particular protein called mTOR from working properly. mTOR controls other proteins that trigger cancer cells to grow. So everolimus helps to stop the cancer growing or may slow it down. The drug is also approved for Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) and hormone-receptor-positive advanced Breast Cancer.The drug is administered in oral form (tablet). The recommended dose for AFINITOR® (everolimus) Tablets is one 10-mg tablet once daily but lower doses of 7.5-mg tablets, 5-mg tablets, and 2.5-mg tablets are…