[Chemotherapy of neuroendocrine tumors]

Rev Prat. 2002 Feb 1;52(3):285-9.
[Article in French]

Abstract

Chemotherapy has few impact on neuroendocrine tumour patients outcome: it may decrease functional secretory symptoms and increase slightly median survival time. In islet-cell carcinoma of the pancreas the standard chemotherapy regimen is the combination of streptozotocin and doxorubicin. It induces 50% response rate and may increase by 50% the median survival. In enterochromaffin-cell tumours chemotherapy has modest impact and the combination of 5-fluorouracile and streptozotocin is the standard regimen. In undifferentiated enterochromaffin-cell tumours of unknown primary the standard chemotherapy regimen is the combination of etoposide and cisplatin which induces 50% response rate with probably no impact on overall survival. Chemotherapy must be indicated within the frame of a multidisciplinary approach and only in patients who have refractory and progressive disease. Indication of chemotherapy must be balanced with indications of biotherapies and embolization.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use*
  • Cisplatin / administration & dosage
  • Disease Progression
  • Doxorubicin / administration & dosage
  • Embolization, Therapeutic
  • Etoposide / administration & dosage
  • Humans
  • Neuroendocrine Tumors / drug therapy*
  • Neuroendocrine Tumors / pathology
  • Prognosis
  • Streptozocin / administration & dosage
  • Survival Analysis

Substances

  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Streptozocin
  • Etoposide
  • Doxorubicin
  • Cisplatin