Symptomatic and radiological response to 177-Lu-DOTATE treatment of a neuroendocrine tumor of the rectum with liver metastasis: Case report

Abstract

The present report describes a case of a neuroendocrine tumor of the rectum with liver metastasis in a 35-year-old woman. The rectum is the second most common location of gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors and is typically diagnosed through a screening colonoscopy finding for non-tumor related symptoms. Surgical treatment is indicated when the disease is localized, but due to its characteristics, in most cases, this cancer is diagnosed in advanced stages. When the tumor is advanced and/or metastasis is present, therapeutic options include embolization, somatostatin analogs, interventional radiology, chemotherapy, and radiometabolic peptide therapy. 177-Lutecio-DOTATE therapy has a positive impact on the quality of life of patients with inoperable metastatic tumors. The patient described in the case was initially treated with surgery and chemotherapy and later with liver segmentectomies, embolization, and octreotide due to liver tumor recurrence. With the persistence of the metastasis, she started treatment with 177-Lutecio-DOTATE, and saw, after the second cycle of administration, partial remission of the tumor. This case describes how 177-Lutecio-DOTATE is a viable treatment option and has shown significant results in inoperable and/or metastatic disease. *Correspondence to: Mariana Ferrari de Jesus Abdalla, Santo Amaro University (UNISA) and Cancer Institute Arnaldo Vieira de Carvalho, Brazil, E-mail: mari_ ferrari90@hotmail.com