Epidemiology of Neuroendocrine Neoplasms in the US.

Importance: Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) are increasing in incidence; prevalence and at the same time, practice patterns have also evolved, impacting classification and survival of these malignant neoplasms. However, updated epidemiological data are lacking.

Objective: To define the epidemiological and survival trends of patients with NENs in the US.

Early mortality in patients with cancer and COVID-19 infection treated with immunotherapy.

Background: Immunotherapy in the presence of COVID-19 infections raises concerns because of potential overlapping clinical complications and immune system enhancement. Further investigation is warranted to establish its safety and to improve clinical decisions.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using linked health administrative data from Ontario, Canada to assess 30-day mortality in patients with solid tumors who were treated with immunotherapy within 120 days before testing positive for COVID-19.

Symptom Management for Well-Differentiated Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors: ASCO Guideline.

Purpose: To develop a clinical practice guideline and recommendations for symptom management of patients with well-differentiated grade 1 to grade 3 metastatic gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.

Methods: ASCO convened an Expert Panel to develop a clinical practice guideline by reviewing the literature for relevant guidelines, systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and observational studies to develop recommendations for clinical practice.

Results: The literature review identified eight guidelines, 19 systematic reviews, and three RCTs that informed the development of guideline recommendations.

Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT in the Initial Staging of Well-Differentiated Gastroenteropancreatic and Non-Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors: Results of a Prospective Registry.

At diagnosis, the initial staging of well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors (WD NETs) aids in treatment planning. The somatostatin receptor (SSTR)-PET has been recommended for staging of WD NETs although limited data are available on its impact on non-gastroeneteropancreatic (GEP) NETs. The main purpose of this study was to compare the stage migration after the addition of SSTR-PET to the workup of patients at the initial staging of GEP NETs to those with non-GEP NETs, and its potential impact on patient management.

Real-world outcomes of lenvatinib therapy for advanced neuroendocrine neoplasms.

Advanced gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (GEP-NENs) constitute a heterogeneous group of incurable cancers. Lenvatinib is an oral multiple kinase inhibitor that showed activity in grade 1/2 GEP-NENs in the phase II TALENT trial, but a confirmatory phase III study has yet to be conducted. To investigate the real-world use of lenvatinib in treating patients with advanced GEP-NENs, we retrospectively analyzed a cohort of adults with unresectable neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) from two academic centers in Canada who received palliative treatment with lenvatinib.

Dual Somatostatin Receptor/F-FDG PET/CT Imaging in Patients with Well-Differentiated, Grade 2 and 3 Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors.

Our purpose was to prospectively assess the distribution of NETPET scores in well-differentiated (WD) grade 2 and 3 gastroenteropancreatic (GEP) neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) and to determine the impact of the NETPET score on clinical management. This single-arm, institutional ethics review board-approved prospective study included 40 patients with histologically proven WD GEP NETs. Ga-DOTATATE PET and F-FDG PET were performed within 21 d of each other.

Tolerability and outcomes of neuroendocrine tumors treated with PRRT and SBRT.

There is interest in optimizing peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) for the management of metastatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (NEN). The addition of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) may provide synergistic benefits by targeting specific sites of disease that may represent areas of tumor heterogeneity. Little is known about the efficacy or potential toxicity of this approach; understanding the outcomes of patients treated with these two modalities in a sequential fashion will provide insights into the appropriateness of embarking on a combined therapy strategy.

Clinical management of typical and atypical carcinoids/neuroendocrine tumors in ENETS centres of excellence (CoE): Survey from the ENETS lung NET task force.

Lung carcinoid tumours are neuroendocrine neoplasms originating from the bronchopulmonary tract's neuroendocrine cells, accounting for only 1%-3% of all lung cancers but 30% of all neuroendocrine tumours. The incidence of lung carcinoids, both typical and atypical, has been increasing over the years due to improved diagnostic methods and increased awareness among clinicians and pathologists. The most recent WHO classification includes a subgroup of lung carcinoids with atypical morphology and higher mitotic count and/or Ki67 labelling index.

Optimizing a mentorship program from the perspective of academic medicine leadership - a qualitative study.

Background: Effective mentorship is an important contributor to academic success. Given the critical role of leadership in fostering mentorship, this study sought to explore the perspectives of departmental leadership regarding 1) current departmental mentorship processes; and 2) crucial components of a mentorship program that would enhance the effectiveness of mentorship.

Methods: Department Division Directors (DDDs), Vice-Chairs, and Mentorship Facilitators from the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto Temerty Faculty of Medicine were interviewed between April and December 2021 using a semi-structured guide.

The Impact of the Pandemic on the Quality of Colorectal and Anal Cancer Care, and 2-Year Clinical Outcomes.

We undertook a retrospective study to compare the quality of care delivered to a cohort of newly diagnosed adults with colon, rectal or anal cancer during the early phase of COVID-19 (02/20-12/20) relative to the same period in the year prior (the comparator cohort), and examine the impact of the pandemic on 2-year disease progression and all-cause mortality. We observed poorer performance on a number of quality measures, such as approximately three times as many patients in the COVID-19 cohort experienced 30-day post-surgical readmission (10.5% vs.

The impact of marginalization on diffuse large B-cell lymphoma overall survival: a retrospective cohort study.

The aim of this study was to describe the impact of marginalization on DLBCL overall survival (OS) within the Canadian setting. We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study of adult patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL in Ontario between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2017 receiving a rituximab-containing chemotherapy regimen with curative intent followed until 1 March 2020. Our primary exposure of interest was the Ontario Marginalization Index (ON-Marg).

Methodology of the SORENTO clinical trial: a prospective, randomised, active-controlled phase 3 trial assessing the efficacy and safety of high exposure octreotide subcutaneous depot (CAM2029) in patients with GEP-NET.

Background: The current standard of care (SoC) for the initial treatment of unresectable or metastatic well-differentiated gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (GEP-NET) requires initiation of first-generation somatostatin receptor ligand (SRL) therapy, octreotide and lanreotide, which provide safe and efficacious tumour/symptom control in most patients. However, disease progression can occur with SoC SRL treatment and the optimal dose response of SRL remains unknown. Octreotide subcutaneous depot (CAM2029) is a novel, long-acting, high-exposure formulation that has shown greater bioavailability and improved administration than octreotide long-acting release (LAR) with a well-tolerated safety profile.

Patient Perceptions of the Impact of the COVID Pandemic on the Quality of Their Gastrointestinal Cancer Care.

We surveyed patients who had a received care for a gastrointestinal cancer between 03/2020 and 05/2021 to understand their perceptions of the impact of the Covid pandemic on cancer care delivery and quality of care. Three-hundred fifty-eight respondents provided evaluable responses (response rate: 17.3%).

Patient Priorities Concerning Treatment Decisions for Advanced Neuroendocrine Tumors Identified by Discrete Choice Experiments.

Background: Patients with advanced neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) have multiple treatment options. Ideally, treatment decisions are shared between physician and patient; however, previous studies suggest that oncologists and patients place different value on treatment attributes such as adverse event (AE) rates. High-quality information on NET patient treatment preferences may facilitate patient-centered decision making by helping clinicians understand patient priorities.

Indolent lymphoma care delivery and outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario, Canada.

The treatment pattern and outcomes in patients with indolent B-cell lymphoma treated during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic period compared to the prepandemic period are unclear. This was a retrospective population-based study using administrative databases in Ontario, Canada (follow-up to 31 March 2022). The primary outcome was treatment pattern; secondary outcomes were death, toxicities, healthcare utilization (emergency department [ED] visit, hospitalization) and SARS-CoV-2 outcomes.

Systemic Therapy for Tumor Control in Metastatic Well-Differentiated Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors: ASCO Guideline.

Purpose: To develop recommendations for systemic therapy for well-differentiated grade 1 (G1) to grade 3 (G3) metastatic gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs).

Methods: ASCO convened an Expert Panel to conduct a systematic review of relevant studies and develop recommendations for clinical practice.

Results: Eight randomized controlled trials met the inclusion criteria for the systematic review.

68 Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT in the Initial Diagnosis of Patients With Clinical, Imaging, and/or Biochemical Suspicion of a Neuroendocrine Tumor.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the yield of somatostatin receptor PET in patients with clinical, imaging, and/or biochemical suspicion of a neuroendocrine tumor (NET).

Patients And Methods: This analysis includes patients referred for the initial diagnosis of an unconfirmed NET, as part of a prospective, single-arm registry study (NCT03873870) assessing the utility of 68 Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT in the management of NETs. Inclusion criteria to this cohort consisted of elevated biomarkers and/or clinical presentation suspicious for a NET, with negative conventional cross-sectional imaging, or presence of a lesion suspicious for a NET on conventional imaging, not amenable for biopsy.

Global challenges in access to diagnostics and treatment for neuroendocrine tumor (NET) patients.

SCAN, an online survey, measured access to diagnosis, treatments and monitoring of neuroendocrine tumor (NET) patients globally. Between September and November 2019, NET patients and healthcare professionals (HCPs) completed an online, semi-standardized survey with 54 patient questions and 33 HCP questions. A total of 2359 patients with NETs and 436 HCPs responded.

Consensus report of the 2021 National Cancer Institute neuroendocrine tumor clinical trials planning meeting.

Important progress has been made over the last decade in the classification, imaging, and treatment of neuroendocrine neoplasm (NENs), with several new agents approved for use. Although the treatment options available for patients with well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) have greatly expanded, the rapidly changing landscape has presented several unanswered questions about how best to optimize, sequence, and individualize therapy. Perhaps the most important development over the last decade has been the approval of 177Lu-DOTATATE for treatment of gastroenteropancreatic-NETs, raising questions around optimal sequencing of peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) relative to other therapeutic options, the role of re-treatment with PRRT, and whether PRRT can be further optimized through use of dosimetry among other approaches.

Second primary cancers and survival among neuroendocrine tumor patients.

There is an increased risk of second primary cancers (SPCs) after neuroendocrine tumor (NET) diagnosis. The clinical significance of SPCs in this population is unknown. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between SPCs after NET diagnosis and survival.

Association between the COVID-19 pandemic and first cancer treatment modality: a population-based cohort study.

Background: Physicians were directed to prioritize using nonsurgical cancer treatment at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. We sought to quantify the impact of this policy on the modality of first cancer treatment (surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy or no treatment).

Methods: In this population-based study using Ontario data from linked administrative databases, we identified adults diagnosed with cancer from January 2016 to November 2020 and their first cancer treatment received within 1 year postdiagnosis.