Kjell E Öberg

Purpose Preliminary studies suggested that telotristat ethyl, a tryptophan hydroxylase inhibitor, reduces bowel movement (BM) frequency in patients with carcinoid syndrome. This placebo-controlled phase III study evaluated telotristat ethyl in this setting. Patients and Methods Patients (N = 135) experiencing four or more BMs per day despite stable-dose somatostatin analog therapy received (1:1:1) placebo, telotristat ethyl 250 mg, or telotristat ethyl 500 mg three times per day orally ...

BACKGROUND: Interferon alpha (IFN-alpha) has antiangiogenic activity, although the underlying mechanism of action is unclear. Because human neuroendocrine (NE) tumors are highly vascularized and sensitive to IFN-alpha, we investigated whether the therapeutic effects of IFN-alpha result from an inhibition of angiogenesis mediated by a decrease in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene expression.

METHODS: VEGF gene and protein expression was analyzed in NE tumors by ...

BACKGROUND: Everolimus, an oral inhibitor of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), has shown antitumor activity in patients with advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, in two phase 2 studies. We evaluated the agent in a prospective, randomized, phase 3 study.

METHODS: We randomly assigned 410 patients who had advanced, low-grade or intermediate-grade pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors with radiologic progression within the previous 12 months to receive everolimus, at a dose of 10 mg ...

BACKGROUND: Everolimus, an oral inhibitor of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), has shown antitumour activity in patients with advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours. We aimed to assess the combination of everolimus plus octreotide long-acting repeatable (LAR) in patients with low-grade or intermediate-grade neuroendocrine tumours (carcinoid).

METHODS: We did a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 study comparing 10 mg per day oral everolimus with placebo, ...

BACKGROUND: Patients with advanced midgut neuroendocrine tumors who have had disease progression during first-line somatostatin analogue therapy have limited therapeutic options. This randomized, controlled trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of lutetium-177 (177Lu)-Dotatate in patients with advanced, progressive, somatostatin-receptor-positive midgut neuroendocrine tumors.

METHODS: We randomly assigned 229 patients who had well-differentiated, metastatic midgut neuroendocrine tumors ...

Carcinoid tumours belong to the family of neuroendocrine tumours with a capacity to take up and concentrate amines and precursors as well as peptides, and can thereby be detected by nuclear medicine techniques. These rare tumours are difficult to diagnose at earlier stages because of small size and multiplicity. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are mostly of benefit for detection of larger primary tumours (1-3 cm) and liver and lymph-node metastases. A ...

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary carcinoids (PCs) are rare tumors. As there is a paucity of randomized studies, this expert consensus document represents an initiative by the European Neuroendocrine Tumor Society to provide guidance on their management.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Bibliographical searches were carried out in PubMed for the terms 'pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors', 'bronchial neuroendocrine tumors', 'bronchial carcinoid tumors', 'pulmonary carcinoid', 'pulmonary typical/atypical ...

BACKGROUND: There are no data from prospective studies focused exclusively on patients with advanced lung and thymic carcinoids. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of long-acting pasireotide and everolimus, administered alone or in combination, in patients with advanced carcinoids of the lung or thymus.

METHODS: LUNA was a prospective, multicentre, randomised, open-label, phase 2 trial of adult patients (aged >18 years) with advanced (unresectable or metastatic), well ...

PURPOSE: Telotristat ethyl, an oral tryptophan hydroxylase inhibitor, is intended to treat carcinoid syndrome by reducing serotonin production. Telotristat ethyl was evaluated in TELESTAR, a Phase III study for patients who had carcinoid syndrome with at least 4 bowel movements (BMs) per day and who were receiving somatostatin analogue therapy. This interview substudy was conducted to provide insight into the patient experience in TELESTAR and to help understand whether reductions in BM ...