Purpose: This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of (177)Lu-labelled peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) in patients with inoperable or metastatic neuroendocrine tumours (NETs).
Methods: Systematic searches of MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were performed using the keywords of "neuroendocrine", "(177)Lu" and "prognosis". All published studies of neuroendocrine tumours treated with (177)Lu-labelled radiopharmaceuticals and evaluated with either Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours (RECIST) 1.0 or Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) criteria or both were included. If there was more than one published study from the same institution, only one report with the information most relevant to this study was included. Each response criteria group was analysed for disease response rates and disease control rates, defined as the percentages of patients with complete response (CR) + partial response (PR), and CR + PR + stable disease (SD), respectively, to a therapeutic intervention in clinical trials of anticancer agents. The pooled proportions are presented with both a fixed-effects model and random-effects model.
Results: Six studies with 473 patients (4 in RECIST criteria group with 356 patients, 3 in SWOG criteria group with 375 patients and 1 in both groups) were included. The RECIST criteria group demonstrated disease response rates ranging between 17.6 and 43.8% with a pooled effect of 29% [95% confidence interval (CI) 24-34%]. Disease control rates ranged from 71.8 to 100%. The random-effects model showed an average disease control rate of 81% (95% CI 71-91%). The SWOG criteria group demonstrated disease response rates ranging between 7.0 and 36.5% with a pooled effect of 23% (95% CI 11-38%). Disease control rates ranged from 73.9 to 89.1%. The random-effects model showed an average disease control rate of 82% (95% CI 71-91%).
Conclusion: (177)Lu-labelled PRRT is an effective treatment option for patients with inoperable or metastatic NETs.
Keywords: Lutetium; Neuroendocrine tumour; Peptide receptor therapy; Radionuclide therapy.