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Hormonal and Rare Conditions Neuroendocrine Tumors Medications
Medications
Treating GEP-NETs

Medications

There are a lot of medication options for GEP-NETs, depending on where the tumour is and what symptoms it’s causing.1,2

They might be used as well as, or instead of, surgery or radiotherapy. Some of the drugs used include:

  • Somatostatin analogues (known as SSAs)
  • Immunotherapy
  • Chemotherapy
  • Other drug therapies e.g. angiogenesis inhibitors (known as AGIs)

Somatostatin analogues (SSAs)

SSAs are the most common GEP-NET drug therapy.3

Somatostatin is a hormone that is produced naturally by the body to help regulate the production and release of other hormones.4

Somatostatin analogues are man-made versions of this substance. They act in the same way as your natural somatostatin to help control the extra hormones released by a GEP-NET in order to control your symptoms.4

SSAs also help to stabilise and slow the growth of the GEP-NET.3

There are two kinds of SSAs:3

Two text boxes labelled short-acting and long-acting. Short-acting: Short-acting SSAs are used to bring symptoms under control quickly, and to see how you get on with this type of drug. Long acting: Long-acting SSAs are taken as an injection every 4 weeks or so, and you would use them for ongoing treatment of a GEP-NET.

Immunotherapies

Immunotherapies can be used to slow down the growth of a GET-NET.

Chemotherapy3,5

Chemotherapy is a term used to mean all the drugs and combinations of drugs that are commonly given to treat cancers. Chemotherapy drugs might be added to your treatment plan if:

  • Surgery and/or other medications haven’t worked well enough
  • The GEP-NET is growing fast
  • Your GEP-NET has spread (metastasised)

Angiogenesis inhibitors (AGIs)

Angiogenesis is the process of creating new blood vessels, which are vital for the growth of a tumour.6,7

AGIs help to block this process, so the tumour can’t get a good blood supply and can’t grow.6-8

Within the AGI group of drugs, there is a distinct subgroup known as tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs).6-8 You may hear your medications described as an AGI or a TKI, but they all act in a similar way to help shrink the tumour. Most AGIs used to treat GEP-NETs are given as tablets you take at home every day.7

As with all medications, these treatments can cause side effects. Your doctor will discuss the potential side effects of your drug with you and will want to know if you are experiencing any side effects as your treatment starts.

References

  1. CRUK. Treatment options for neuroendocrine cancer. Available at: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/neuroendocrine-tumours-nets/treatment/options. Last accessed April 2025.
  2. Macmillan. Treatment for neuroendocrine tumours (NETs). Available at: https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/neuroendocrine-tumours-nets#treatment_for_neuroendocrine_tumours_nets. Last accessed April 2025.
  3. Díez M, Teulé A, Salazar R. Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: diagnosis and treatment. Ann Gastroenterol. 2013;26(1):29-36.
  4. CRUK. Somatostatin analogues for neuroendocrine tumours. Available at: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/neuroendocrine-tumours-nets/treatment/somatostatin-analogues/what-are. Last accessed April 2025.
  5. CRUK. Chemotherapy for neuroendocrine cancer. Available at: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/neuroendocrine-tumours-nets/treatment/chemotherapy/having. Last accessed April 2025.
  6. NIH: National Cancer Institute. Angiogenesis inhibitors. Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/immunotherapy/angiogenesis-inhibitors-fact-sheet. Last accessed April 2025.
  7. Capozzi et al. Antiangiogenic Therapy in Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumours. Anticancer Research 2016. 36:5025-5030.
  8. Carrasco P, Zuazo-Gaztelu I, Casanovas O. Sprouting strategies and dead ends in antiangiogenic targeting of NETs. J Molecular Endocrinology 2017. 59;1:R77-R91.