Physicians at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), Atlanta have a new option in the fight against rare neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) with the introduction of an innovative therapy called LUTATHERA® (lutetium Lu 177 dotatate).
 
CTCA® Atlanta is the first hospital in Georgia to provide this specialized drug application for patients suffering from NETs, which originate in the neuroendocrine cells of organs. LUTATHERA, the first FDA-approved Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy (PRRT), is designed specifically to treat somatostatin receptor positive gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs).
 
“The prevalence of neuroendocrine tumors is on the rise,” said Eyal Meiri, MD, interim chief of medical oncology and medical oncologist. “We are well equipped across the care continuum, diagnostics to treatments, to help patients facing this disease. LUTATHERA grows our arsenal.”
 
With a commitment to grow its Gastrointestinal Cancer Center, which includes the Neuroendocrine Tumor Clinical Program, CTCA became one of the first hospitals in Georgia to introduce NETSPOT® (gallium Ga 68 dotatate), a diagnostic imaging agent that helps locate somatostatin receptor positive NETs and determine treatment options.
 
Patients diagnosed with NETs often present with a variety of symptoms that are difficult to attribute to a specific disease, making an accurate diagnosis challenging. Although NETs comprise less than one percent of gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies, they are one of the most common cancers being diagnosed in American men or women. Incidence of occurrence has risen nearly 90 percent over the past decade. Equipped with NETSPOT and LUTATHERA, CTCA physicians are able to help identify GEP-NET tumors and provide treatment options that may be effective. Together, these products represent a theragnostic approach to disease management.
 
Due to the complexity and diversity of NETs, the CTCA Neuroendocrine Tumor Clinical Program comprises a multidisciplinary team, including surgical, medical and radiation oncologists; gastroenterologists; interventional radiologists; endocrinologists; pathologists as well as clinicians who focus on side effects management and quality of life enhancement.