Neuroendocrine Tumor Treatment

Neuroendocrine tumor treatment strategies are often determined by the tumor’s location and whether it has affected other tissues and organs. These tumors can originate in many places in the body, such as the lungs and gastrointestinal tract, which includes the stomach, intestines and pancreas.

The multispecialty team of treatment experts specializing in neuroendocrine tumors in Moffitt Cancer Center’s Gastrointestinal Oncology Program has an array of options available for treating a patient’s individual condition. These treatment options take into account the patient’s medical history, the tumor’s unique characteristics and other factors. After an extensive consultation and evaluation, a patient’s neuroendocrine tumor team may recommend one or more of the following treatments:

• Surgery – We offer the latest surgical procedures, which include the resection of tumors that involve blood vessels, as well as minimally invasive procedures and bypass procedures.
• Somatostatin analog therapy – These analogs of the hormone somatostatin can stabilize tumor growth and inhibit neuroendocrine tumor overproduction of hormones.
• Targeted therapies – These drugs target receptors on the cancer cell surface or enzymes in the tumor cell which contribute to tumor proliferation.
• Chemotherapy – A patient may receive therapeutic drugs orally or by injection in an effort to destroy or slow the growth of the tumor. Our team also performs novel combination chemotherapy and molecular targeted therapy to address these tumors.
• Radiation therapy – In addition to standard external beam radiation therapy, we perform stereotactic body radiotherapy as well as other advanced radiation therapies to destroy cancer cells. This treatment option may be used in combination with surgery and/or chemotherapy to prevent the recurrence of cancer.
• Interventional radiology – The neuroendocrine tumor team offers a variety of innovative treatment techniques, including arterial embolization and microwave ablation, which are designed to block the blood supply to the tumor or thermally destroy cancer cells.
• Lutathera - A form of targeted radiotherapy that is administered intravenously. This treatment uses high doses of radiation to destroy somatostatin receptor-expressing cancer cells while limiting harm to surrounding healthy tissues.

Moffitt’s neuroendocrine tumor team can also provide extensive pain management and supportive care services, to help alleviate chronic and acute discomfort with medications and minimally invasive procedures.

In addition, the neuroendocrine treatment team at Moffitt supports landmark research in finding new medications, surgical procedures, molecular therapies, immunotherapies and endoscopic procedures. Indeed, Moffitt has been a leading institution in the clinical development of therapies that currently define the neuroendocrine tumor treatment landscape. Our basic scientists are investigating novel cellular therapies that will harness the immune system to target neuroendocrine tumors. Due to our research efforts, Moffitt has been designated as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute – the only center based in Florida to earn this distinction.

At Moffitt Cancer Center, we do not require a referral to consult with a member of our team of oncologists specializing in neuroendocrine tumors. If you’re interested in learning more about our treatment strategies, or if you have any other questions regarding neuroendocrine tumors, call 1-888-663-3488, or fill out our online patient registration form.