ABSTRACT
Over the past two decades no systemic therapy has been established as standard in the treatment of patients with neuroendocrine tumors in the pancreas. Targeted therapy alone or in combination with chemotherapy has revolutionized systemic treatment of cancer over the last 13 years after a first approval of a monoclonal antibody. Since then, the field of small molecules receptors tyrosine kinase (RTKs) inhibitors has rapidly being expanded included many such signal transduction drugs for various cancer types. Two of these drugs, everolimus and sunitinib have demonstrated substantial antitumor activity in experimental and clinical studies. In this review, the advances in diagnostics, tumor staging, and treatment of patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors with particular emphasis on targeted drugs and their efficacy and safety are discussed considering the results of recent phase 3, randomized trials.

(Citation: Gastric & Breast Cancer 2012; 11(1) 44-49)

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