The Effects of Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy on the Neoplastic and Normal Pituitary

Few therapies are available for patients with aggressive or metastatic pituitary neuroendocrine tumours (PitNETs). Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT), widely used to treat gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours, has been emerging as a potential option for aggressive or metastatic PitNETs if other treatment approaches are not feasible or failed in controlling the disease progression. However, the data regarding the use of PRRT in this setting is scarce, and mainly derives from few case reports or small series of cases. Here, we review the published data regarding the effectiveness and safety of PRRT in the management of aggressive or metastatic PitNETs, as well as the effects of PRRT on the pituitary function in other cancer patients.Pituitary neuroendocrine tumours (PitNETs) are usually benign and slow-growing; however, in some cases, they may behave aggressively and become resistant to conventional treatments. Therapeutic options for aggressive or metastatic PitNETs are limited, and currently mainly consist of temozolomide, with little experience of other emerging approaches, including peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT). Somatostatin receptor expression in PitNETs explains the effectiveness of somatostatin analogues for treating PitNETs, particularly those hypersecreting pituitary hormones, such as growth hormone or adrenocorticotropic hormone. The expression of such receptors in pituitary tumour cells has provided the rationale for using PRRT to treat patients with aggressive or metastatic PitNETs. However, the PRRT efficacy in this setting remains unestablished, as knowledge on this today is based only on few case reports and small series of cases, which are reviewed here. A total of 30 PRRT-treated patients have been thus far reported: 23 aggressive PitNETs, 5 carcinomas, and 2 of malignancy status unspecified. Of the 27 published cases with information regarding the response to PRRT, 5 (18%) showed a partial response, 8 (30%) had stable disease, and 14 (52%) had progressive disease. No major adverse effects have been reported, and there is also no increased risk of clinically relevant hypopituitarism in patients with pituitary or non-pituitary neuroendocrine tumours following PRRT. PRRT may be regarded as a safe option for patients with aggressive or metastatic PitNETs if other treatment approaches are not feasible or have failed in controlling the disease progression, with tumour shrinkage occurring in up to a fifth of cases, while about a third of aggressive pituitary tumours may achieve stable disease. Here, the data on PRRT in the management of patients with aggressive pituitary tumours are reviewed, as well as the effects of PRRT on the pituitary function in other PRRT-treated cancer patients.

Automated summary

Limited options are available for patients with aggressive or metastatic pituitary neuroendocrine tumours (PitNETs). Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT), commonly used for gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours, is being considered as a potential treatment for aggressive or metastatic PitNETs when other approaches fail. However, there is limited data on the use of PRRT in this context, mostly derived from case reports or small case series. This review examines the effectiveness and safety of PRRT in managing aggressive or metastatic PitNETs, as well as its effects on pituitary function in other cancer patients.